The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted for draft law No. 9665, which allows citizens to store up to 30 cubic meters of pine firewood or 15 cubic meters of oak firewood without the need for supporting documents. As noted by the author of the draft law, Maksym Pavlyuk, this decision concerns exclusively the fight against the illegal circulation of wood and is not intended to limit the rights of the population that uses firewood to heat their homes.
The main provisions of the law:
- Storage volumes : Citizens can store up to 30 cubic meters. m of pine wood or 15 cubic meters m of oak trees without any documents. This volume should be sufficient for the heating season with a small reserve.
- Liability : In order to be held criminally liable for illegal storage of firewood, it is necessary that their value exceeds UAH 30,000. This corresponds to 30 cubic meters. m of pine or 15 cubic meters m of oak.
- Fines: The law provides for fines for storing firewood without documents:
- UAH 34,000 for firewood storage, if their value is up to UAH 30,000.
- From 5 to 7 years of imprisonment for storing wood worth more than UAH 30,000.
- Retroactive effect of the law : The law is not retroactive, so law enforcement agencies cannot demand documents for wood purchased before its adoption.
The purpose of the draft law
The draft law is aimed at combating illegal logging and protecting nature, bringing Ukrainian legislation up to European standards. Maksym Pavlyuk assured that the norms of the law should not cause concern among households that have prepared more firewood for the winter than stipulated by law.
