The second reading of the new Forest Code Project is again postponed at least until July 2006. However, the schedule of State Duma debates for July 2006 does not include the reading of the new Forest Code, but this schedule is usually not strictly followed.

The Working group for the New Forest Code of State Duma Committee has not set up a final list of amendments recommended for adoption yet, although the work group has already debated all proposed amendments and rejected most of them.

It is still unclear whether the new Forest Code will consider the intentions of the Russian government and the State Duma to pass forest management authority partly down to regional level. All in all, the state of the new Forest Code remains unclear.

On the one hand, the Code’s elaborators strive to meet Putin’s instructions to adopt the Code despite all; on the other hand they start to realize that such an untalented Code inevitably leads to the break down of the entire forest industry, and they are afraid of being responsible for that. Considering that the lawmaking work of a considerable group of officials and deputies from the Ministry of Economic Development resulted in an ‘abstruse flop’ that will have to be rewritten — one can only assume that they lack courage. The way out of this situation has still to be found.

Despite all, the new Forest Code will most likely be adopted, the forest industry will break down – and first after this one can expect the beginning of a systematic restoration process.

Simultaneously with the elaboration of the new Forest Code, the State Duma continues in every possible way to destruct also the current Forest Code from 1997: In June 2006, the draft “On introducing amendments in certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation concerning land use of the forest fund” will be debated in the second reading. This draft will introduce already the twelfth change to the current Forest Code.

13/06/2006