Bulgaria's Brankovtsi Protests Against Illegal Felling

People living in the village of Brankovtsi near Vidin protested Friday against the illegal deforestation in the vicinity.

According to protesters close to 1,000 cubic meters of wood have been cut in the village forest, but local inspectors report one third of that number.

There currently are 60 people living in Brankovtsi and over 100 people have signed a petition against the illegal activities, taken place between July and November of last year, bTV news reported.

There have been no sanctions so far Veselka Borisova, Director of the State Forestry Office in Vidin said.

''We have a case of illegal felling, but no illegal wood material,'' Borisova added. She explained that this practically means that the necessary documents for legal transportation of the wood have been falsified.

According to inspectors, the illegal practice has resulted in 260 cubic meters of wood gone missing. The protocols have been sent to the Prosecutor's Office in the city of Kula, as the village of Brankovtsi is under its jurisdiction.

People are resolved to continue with their protest activities as long as necessary until authorities resolve the case in their favor.