Conflict over coastal forest land

A recent session of the parliamentary Audit Committee revealed a deep rift between the Audit Office and the Forestry Department over coastal land protection. The dispute centers on a proposal to reduce the protection zone for coastal state forests from 500 meters to approximately 91 meters. Forestry officials argue that this modification is necessary for legislative harmonization and to facilitate projects of public interest. However, the Audit Office strongly opposes the change, claiming it represents a significant relaxation of environmental standards. Furthermore, auditors have raised concerns about potential corruption, linking the proposed change to a request from a Russian businessman for a specific development. Consequently, the debate has shifted from a technical matter to a serious allegation regarding the prioritization of private investment over environmental preservation.