In Rivne Region, a forestry manager was caught soliciting a bribe of 3 million hryvnias.

In Rivne Region, employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, uncovered the manager of one of the forestry offices working at the 'Polissya Forestry Office' of the State Enterprise 'Forests of Ukraine' for soliciting a bribe.

Bribe Solicitation

According to inkorr.com: This man demanded 3 million hryvnias from a contractor for the opportunity to conduct business and participate in tenders, reports 'Glavkom' citing the SBI.

Bribe Amount Established

According to the SBI, the bribe was received by a representative of a commercial firm that deals with timber harvesting. The forestry manager initially set the rate at 40 hryvnias per cubic meter of felled wood in May, but raised it to 60 hryvnias by July. As a result, over three months of the contractor's work, the total bribe amount reached 3 million hryvnias.

Possible Consequences

According to Ukrainian legislation, the forestry office manager faces up to 12 years in prison for soliciting a bribe. Such cases of corruption in the forestry sector cause significant harm to the environment and create serious ecological and economic problems.

This case is further confirmation of systemic issues in the Ukrainian forestry industry. Bribery not only undermines trust in state institutions but also hinders the development of legitimate business. While investigations are ongoing, society hopes for severe penalties for corrupt officials to restore justice and protect Ukraine's natural resources.