Environmental Investigation Agency

Large amounts of climate-warming refrigerant gases from China and Turkey are being smuggled illegally into Europe, undermining a global pact to phase them out, a report by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said on Monday.

Romania is more affected by illegal logging than any other country in Europe | Photo: BIRN

Romania has toughened its legislation in order to protect its natural resources by defining illegal logging - but also any action "which endangers the country's water, forests and land" as a threat to national security. 

Thousands of Romanians protested in cities across the country on Saturday, calling on the government and parliament to find ways to better protect the country's forests against illegal loggers.

Over 3,000 people gathered in Bucharest, while thousands also demonstrated in the Transylvanian cities of Cluj and Brasov, and in Timisoara, Iasi and Galati.

After over two years of discussions, Romania is to finally adopt changes to the Forest Law to better protect the country's forests against the actions of illegal loggers.