Eko‑svest: Stop illegal operations inside Mavrovo National Park

Environmental group Eko-svest warns that Mavrovo National Park is operating in a legal vacuum because it still relies on regulations from 1949, a situation that conflicts with the objectives of the Law on Nature Protection and opens the door to non‑transparent and potentially unlawful activity inside the park.

The organisation says the law is explicit: any interventions in the park, particularly tree felling, may proceed only when foreseen by a Management Plan and a Forest Ecosystems Programme, and then solely within strictly defined zones that limit area and intensity.

"The current scope of work in NP 'Mavrovo', including logging, is carried out without these necessary strategic documents, which directly lacks legal basis and is contrary to the objectives of the Law itself," the association said, condemning ongoing operations that it says exceed statutory authority.

New logging linked to small hydropower project

Eko‑svest also notes there is no public access to fundamental governing acts on the park's website — no statute, no operational programmes — a lack of transparency that obscures legal responsibility for decisions taken on the ground.

"These days a new logging operation is being prepared in the park for the construction needs of a small hydropower plant on the Ribnička river. This project has faced strong criticism from the international professional community and the Bern Convention, Macedonian civic organizations as well as the local population. This project not only does not serve to protect the park's natural values, it directly harms the management of this protected area!" said Ana Cholovic Leshoska of Eko‑svest.

The organisation is calling for an immediate re‑declaration of the park through the adoption of a new law that would formally proclaim NP Mavrovo as a protected area and remove the current legal uncertainty. "That is the only way to end this legal vacuum, to stop illegal activities and to establish genuine protection of the natural wealth. The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Government must no longer ignore this problem — re‑declaring NP 'Mavrovo' is their legal obligation!" the reaction says.

Re‑declaration efforts have so far stalled, and park management has reportedly proposed reducing the zone of strict protection, a step that would further complicate plans to secure long‑term conservation of the area.

Photo: press material from the event