European Interest

MEPs travel to Poland to assess the situation of Białowieża Forest

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, Author: Robert Wielgórski a.k.a. Barry Kent
Royal Oaks Trail, Białowieża Forest, Poland

A delegation of the Petitions Committee, headed by Chair Dolors Montserrat (EPP, ES), will take stock of the state of the protected Białowieża Forest during their visit to Poland.

During their visit from 19 to 21 September, MEPs will travel to the Poland–Belarus border area to visit Białowieża Forest, one of the largest remaining old-growth forests in Europe. They will hear from local petitioners about a project to upgrade local roads and its compatibility with nature protection in the natural park. MEPs will also meet with local forest management and national park authorities, and exchange views with Małgorzata Golińska, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

The visit to Poland will also include meetings related to the education of children with special needs. After petitioners criticised the lack of educational opportunities for Polish children with disabilities, MEPs will visit a school in Warsaw and meet with authorities, including Marzena Machałek, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Education.

The fact-finding visit will conclude with a press conference hosted by the Head of Delegation, Ms Montserrat, at the Marriott Hotel on 21 September, 11.00–12.30 CEST.

Members participating in the mission: Dolors MONTSERRAT (EPP, ES), Committee Chair, Head of Delegation, Cristina MAESTRE MARTIN DE ALMAGRO (S&D, ES).

ACCOMPANYING MEMBER: Jarosław DUDA (EPP, PL)

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