On Tuesday, April 1, representatives of several NGOs and associations, as well as veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, held a picket outside the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine to demand the resignation of its head, Svitlana Hrynchuk.
This was reported by the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center (KECC).
Representatives of the center and members of the NGOs Markhalivka. Support, NGO ‘Svarozhychi’, Association of Animal Protection Organizations of Ukraine (APOU), Pochayna movement, Holosiiv Rescue Union, and veterans.
Why the public is against Minister Hrynchuk
Activists have put forward a list of claims against the head of the Environmental Ministry:
1. Incompetence and lies
They accused Svitlana Hrynchuk of systematically misinforming activists, failing to fulfill promises, and misleading international partners. For example, Lyudmyla Morozova, representing the NGO “Markhalivka. Support”, told how the minister promised to support activists at a meeting with them to protect the Markhalivka forest from illegal construction for a military cemetery, but in fact she is conducting non-public negotiations with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to exclude the Markhalivka forest from the Emerald Network and misleading the Berne Convention Secretariat.
Serhiy Latysh, a war veteran, also accused Svitlana Hrynchuk of lying and manipulation. He said that while his comrades are defending Ukraine in the war and dying, “thieves have infiltrated the government of Ukraine and are robbing our country from within.”
Veteran Volodymyr Ilyich demanded that the minister resign herself.
Photo: facebook.com/kekz.ua.
2. Interference with environmental legislation in favor of the hunting lobby
According to the activists, the attempt to develop a Strategy for the Development of Hunting Industry together with hunters legalizes the mass killing of wild animals and contradicts environmental principles.
In his speech at the picket, CECC director Volodymyr Boreyko warned that if the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources develops this document together with hunters and approves it in the Cabinet of Ministers, CECC will sue and cancel the Strategy as illegal and immoral.
“We have repeatedly beaten hunters in courts, and we will continue to beat them,” he said.
Maryna Surkova, president of the Association of Animal Protection Organizations of Ukraine, also strongly opposed the ministry's cooperation with hunters. She also called for signing the CECC's petition on the Verkhovna Rada's website to resign Svitlana Hrynchuk from the post of Minister of Environmental Protection.
Photo: facebook.com/kekz.ua.
3. Violation of environmental principles and environmental policy
Oksana Burgun, a representative of the Svarozhychi NGO, criticized the attempts of the Ministry of Environmental Protection to develop a draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers to allow mining in protected areas. She was supported by the organizer of the Pochaina movement, Annabella Morina. She accused Svitlana Hrynchuk of disregarding the interests of the Ukrainian people if the Ministry wants to allow mining in the national heritage.
Volodymyr Boreyko spoke about the collapse of the reserve system. According to him, the number of new protected areas created over the past year has fallen by almost 2 times, and their area has decreased by more than 4 times. The ecologist noted that protected areas in the forests have almost ceased to be created due to opposition and sabotage by the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, and also accused the Ministry of Environment of inaction and lack of response to such actions by the state enterprise subordinated to it.
4. Ignoring the destruction of green areas in Kyiv
Activists emphasized the Ministry's complete inaction regarding the construction of Holosiivskyi forest and other green areas in the capital.
Mykhailo Mykhalko, head of the Union for the Rescue of Holosiiv, spoke out against the destruction of green areas and protected sites in Kyiv, which, according to him, is being carried out by local authorities. He accused the Ministry of the Environment of withdrawing from the protection of these protected areas.
Photo: facebook.com/kekz.ua.
During the picket, Deputy Ministers Serhiy Vlasenko and Viktoria Kireeva approached its leader Volodymyr Boreyko for talks, but he refused to negotiate.
“We have already negotiated with you, and you lied to us. Now there will be war!” the environmentalist said.
The KECC promised that the next picket demanding Svitlana Grinchuk's resignation would take place in the near future, and activists would bring hundreds of picketers to it.
The previous picket demanding Svitlana Hrynchuk's resignation took place about two weeks ago, on March 20. Back then, the police were called on activists of the Markhalivka. Support” activists were called by the police. And on March 26, a KECC activist created a petition on the website of the Verkhovna Rada demanding the dismissal of the head of the Ministry of Environment.
