Up to 12 Years - Land Users Face Imprisonment for Environmental Crimes

Not long ago, land users were concerned that criminal charges could be brought against them even when they had all the necessary permits. These fears have been partially alleviated, but not completely eliminated during the Saeima's consideration of amendments to the criminal law, which sparked intense debates between land users and environmental organizations. The changes tighten penalties for serious environmental crimes and clarify which violations carry criminal liability. This includes pollution of the environment and seas, illegal handling of hazardous substances, violations of waste management regulations, and other actions that cause significant harm to nature. Criminal penalties are also provided for the intentional introduction and spread of foreign invasive species, conducting activities without mandatory environmental impact assessments, destruction of specially protected species and their habitats, as well as illegal large-scale sales of certain agricultural and forest products, the Saeima reports. "A compromise of compromises," is how Guntis Gutmanis, chairman of the Council for Cooperation of Agricultural Organizations, characterized the amendments. According to him, the discussions were accompanied by heated debates. Environmental organizations feared that permits for economic activities would allow bypassing environmental protection laws and avoiding penalties even for serious damage to protected species and natural areas. Farmers and forestry workers, on the other hand, warned that even those who operate within the rules could face criminal prosecution. "In the end, the parties reached a kind of compromise, although there are plenty of complaints about it from all sides," noted Gutmanis. He also expressed bewilderment regarding the severity of the penalties stipulated by the EU directive, pointing out that the justification for sanctions for specific violations is not always clear. At the same time, the discussion of the amendments in the legal commission of the Saeima helped alleviate concerns that criminal penalties would threaten those who cause accidental and minor harm to nature.