2023-04-11

SARAJEVO - Around half of Bosnia-Herzegovina is covered by forests and wood is one of the Balkan country’s most valuable natural resources. But instead of developing the nation, some politicians and private companies enrich themselves with the profits of the ‘green gold’. Forests are cut down for private interests and governments and companies in Western-Europe close their eyes to gain cheap wood. 

Mapping illegal deforestation and who profits from it

Money and politics are strongly intertwined in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the greed of those in power destroys important nature, environmentalists say. The destruction of forests has had devastating effects on the environment in the Balkan country: it has caused significant erosion, habitat, and biodiversity loss, and has increased flooding risks, research shows.

This investigation into the forestry sector in Bosnia documents several instances of illegal deforestation involving both public forestry companies and private companies, which are frequently associated with the ruling elite. This environmental crime is enriching a small group of people, whilst citizens are losing critical resources that could benefit everyone. 

Implicated, and deeply divided along political and administrative lines, the central government in the capital city of Sarajevo neither has the strength nor the will to deal with the destruction caused by illegal logging, insiders say. In addition, the fact that some regions have not developed clear laws on forestry management enables endemic corruption in the sector, with those responsible going unpunished, say researchers and environmentalists. 

Some of the illegally cut wood ends up in the local market, where it is used as firewood or pallets. Other wood ends up being exported as furniture, planks or other material for the building sector. The Netherlands and France are amongst the main importers of wood from Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is being sold as sustainability (FSC) sourced in our furniture and hardware stores. We trace the wood from Bosnia to the European Union. 
 

 

Above: Drone shot of a forest near Zavidovići where almost 10,000 m3 of wood was cut. The wood was worth 800,000 km, which benefited a company called Bučje d.o.o. The company paid little more than 70.000 KM in exchange for demining services in an area, which as it turns out, was never demined.

Team members

Ingrid Gercama

Ingrid Gercama is a freelance journalist, based in the Netherlands.

Ingrid Gercama

Jeanne Frank

Jeanne Frank is a freelance photojournalist based in Paris who publishes internationally.

Harun Dinarević

Harun Dinarević is a freelance journalist living in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Harun Dinarević

Alena Beširević

Alena Beširević is a freelance investigative journalist in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Alena Beširević

Marjolein Koster

Marjolein Koster is a multimedia journalist travelling between the Netherlands and the Balkans.

Marjolein Koster
Mentor

Saša Leković

Saša Leković is a Croatian freelance investigative journalist, trainer and media advisor.

Supported
€13.250 granted on 30/11/2022
ID
ENV1/2022/129

PRINT

● Grote energiearmoede verergert illegale houtkap in Bosnië en Herzegovina, Nederlands Dagblad, 10/04/2023

● In Bosnië verdwijnen overal stukken bos. En dat illegale hout komt ook naar Nederland, Nederlands Dagblad, 04/09/2023

ONLINE

RADIO

VIDEO

● Prevare iz mračne šume: Umjesto mina, “uklonili” 10.000 kubnih metara drveta, YouTube: Naratorium

Investigation was mentioned in: 

● Prijetnje i uvrede Milana Kovača novinarima Naratoriuma, Naratorium,15/9/2023

● Poslušajte snimak: Načelnik Milan Kovač iz SNSD-a brutalno vrijeđao novinare, psuje kao kočijaš, N1, 16/9/2023

● Sramotno ponašanje načelnika Šipova: Napao novinare zbog priče, izgovorio gnusne psovke (VIDEO), N1, 15/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova primitivno vrijeđao novinare i prijetio im seksualnim nasiljem, Inforadar, 18/9/2023

● SNSD-ov načelnik brutalno psovao novinarima zbog priče o Šumama RS-a: Dođite ti ili ta kolegica da mi…, Faktor, 15/9/2023

● SRAMOTNO! NAČELNIK MILAN KOVAČ (SNSD) PSOVAO NOVINARIMA I VRIJEĐAO IH, Hayat 16/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova uputio najodvratnije uvrede i prijetnje novinaru Naratoriuma (AUDIO), Buka, 15/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova brutalno izvrijeđao novinare, psovao kao kočijaš, Nezavisne novine, 16/9/2023

● Odvratne uvrede načelnika Šipova novinarima: ‘Ako ti je mrsko u kancelariji, možeš na terasi, ako je tebi mrsko, pošalji nju…’, Raport, 16/9/2023

● Prostački atak načelnika Šipova na novinara i novinarku, Moja Srpska, 18/9/2023

● Prostački atak načelnika Šipova na novinara i novinarku: Lokalac učio od glavnih Baja, evo ko su mu bili uzori (FOTO), Blic, 18/9/2023

● Novinar Harun Dinarević: Ne izenađuje me bahat odnos načelnika Šipova, ali kopka me otkud mu moj broj, Buka, 18/9/2023

● VIDEO  Načelnik Šipova primitivno vrijeđao novinare i prijetio im seksualnim nasiljem, Hercegovina info, 16/9/2023

● (AUDIO) Poslušajte kako SNSD-ov načelnik gnusno vrijeđa novinare zbog objavljenog članka, Oslobodjenje, 15/9/2023

● Sramotno ponašanje načelnika Šipova: Brutalno vrijeđao novinare, Radio Sarajevo, 16/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova gnusno vrijeđao novinare: "Kada imaš vremena da dođeš ti ili ta kolegica da mi pop*** k***c", Dnevni avaz, 16/9/2023

● SNSD-ov načelnik Šipova brutalno vrijeđao novinare, Analiziraj, 16/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova novinarima: Dođite da mi pop**ite ku**c, BN TV, 16/9/2023

● Poslušajte kako SNSD-ov načelnik gnusno vrijeđa novinare zbog objavljenog članka, Source, 15/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova gnusno vrijeđao novinare, Impuls portal, 16/9/2023

● SKANDALOZNA SNIMKA NAČELNIKA ŠIPOVA: "Ako ti je mrsko u kancelariji, možeš na terasi, ako je tebi mrsko, pošalji nju....", Slobodna Bosna 16/9/2023

● BH Journalists Assoc. urges reaction from the police and SNSD to the vulgar threats of Šipovo Mayor, Fena, 17/9/2023

● Bahatost vlastodržaca nije ništa novo, Politički, 16/9/2023

● Prostački atak načelnika Šipova na novinara i novinarku: Lokalac učio od glavnih Baja, evo ko su mu bili uzori (FOTO), Srpska Info, 18/9/2023

● Kočijaški rječnik načelnika Šipova: Kovač napao novinare zbog priče, izgovorio vulgarne stvari (AUDIO), Toktv, 16/9/2023

● SMJENA - ODMAH: Načelnik brutalno vrijeđao i psovao novinare, osvanula snimka, Ljudski, 16/9/2023

● BH novinari zahtijevaju reakciju policije i SNSD-a na prijetnje načelnika Šipova, Direkt portal, 17/9/2023

● CRNADAK o ”kočijaškom” rječniku načelnika Šipova: SNSD promoviše PRIMITIVIZAM, prostakluk, AROGANCIJU i pohlepu, Insajder, 16/9/2023

● Sramotno ponašanje načelnika Šipova: Napao novinare zbog priče, izgovorio gnusne stvari, BosnaInfo, 15/9/2023

● Kovač “psovao kao kočijaš”! Načelnik Šipova sramotno izvrijeđao novinare, Centralni portal, 16/9/2023

● Načelnik Šipova Milan Kovač najbrutalnije vrijeđao novinare: "Dođite ti i tvoja koleginica da mi p******e k***c", Bijeljina live, 16/9/2023

● SNSD-ov načelnik Šipova Milan Kovač brutalno psovao novinarima zbog priče o Šumama RS-a: Dođite ti ili ta kolegica da mi…, Life, 16/9/2023

● Odvratne uvrede načelnika Šipova novinarima: ‘Ako ti je mrsko u kancelariji, možeš na terasi, ako je tebi mrsko, pošalji nju…’, Raport, 16/9/2023

● Press Freedom violation, Map Media Freedom, 15/09/2023

● Mayor threatens Alena Besirevic and colleague with sexual violence, Women in Journalism, 15/09/2023

● BH journalists association urgest reaction from the police and SNSD to the vulgar threats of the Sipovo mayor, 15/09/2023 

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