On October 8, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted draft law No. 13174 “On the protection of land rights of owners of real estate destroyed as a result of hostilities” in the second reading. 230 MPs voted in favor.
This became known at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
In particular, the government did not support the controversial amendment to bill No. 104. 225 MPs voted in favor.
Amendment No. 104 was intended to simplify the process of obtaining permits for the construction of defense and industrial complex facilities, infrastructure, and energy industry facilities, particularly in the Carpathians. This change means that construction projects awaiting the conclusion of an environmental impact assessment procedure, which was suspended due to administrative proceedings, will be resumed until the court's decision.
Photo: holka_go
Why amendment No. 104 is considered controversial
Environmental activists warn that the adoption of amendment No. 104 could lead to the mass construction of wind farms in the Carpathians. To install wind turbines in mountainous areas, roads would have to be built on mountain ridges, which would have a significant anthropogenic impact on the ecosystem.
In particular, according to representatives of organizations, this could pave the way for further privatization of mountain lands and their use for resort construction.
Activists emphasized that the fight against the construction of a large ski resort in the Svidovets mountain range is currently ongoing.
Photo: suspilne.uzhhorod
The developers planned to build 60 hotels and 120 restaurants in Svidovets. They also planned to build 33 cable cars, 230 km of ski slopes, shopping centers, banks, and even an airfield. In total, investors expected the resort to be able to accommodate up to 28,000 visitors at a time.
It should be noted that, according to the international non-governmental organization Greenpeace, the amendment to draft law No. 13174 will contribute to the mass construction of wind farms in the Carpathians.
According to representatives of the organization, if this amendment comes into force during the court hearings in the case of Polonyna Runa (Zakarpattia region), the developer would have every right to continue the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure. If the court's conclusion is positive, in particular, to continue destroying the highlands of the Carpathians.
