18:45, 16 October 2003

Greenpeace hopes to save Sochi National Park from functionaries

Activists of Greenpeace Russia declared to the Russian Supreme Court demanding that resolution of the Russian Government No. 571 of September 15, 2003 "On the Sochi All-Republican National Natural Reserve" be abolished. In compliance with this resolution, a part of the Sochi National Park is handed over to the Sochi Reserve. Ecologists hold the government's decision is illegal as it did not undergo an obligatory state ecological examination. "Now functionaries are going to hunt on the unique territory of 11 thousand hectares," announced Greenpeace expert Mikhail Kreyndlin during yesterday's action near the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources.

The activists of Greenpeace demanded that the ministry's leadership should fulfill tasks on the reserve system development determined by the law, but should not contribute to the destruction of reserves. According to Mikhail Kreyndlin's information, no less that 10% of a country's territory must have reserve status so that the country's biodiversity keeps safe. In Russia this index amounts to 1.5%.

Source: Social Infromation Agency