I Do Not Share the View That Trees Should Not Be Cut at All: Tigran Avinyan's Assistant

Vahé Danielyan, the assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Avinyan, wrote on his Facebook page: “Regarding illegal tree felling, the least acceptable opinion for me is that as long as the state does not offer alternatives in the form of work or fuel, there should be no fight against law violations. By the same logic, the state should not prohibit other types of illegalities—such as illegal fishing, hunting, smuggling, accepting bribes, theft, child trafficking, and arms trading—since those engaged in them are also 'providing for a family.'

Moreover, these crimes are 'profitable' also because they are illegal and provide a monopoly position for those engaged in them. Laws are enacted to fairly balance people's interests, and anyone who violates the law gains certain advantages at the expense of other law-abiding citizens. Therefore, for those who believe that illegal deforestation should not be fought, I suggest not doing so at the expense of other members of society, but rather opening a fund and making personal donations to those engaged in tree felling who objectively cannot support their families otherwise.

At the same time, I do not share the view that trees should not be cut at all; nature's resources are also for humans, therefore it is necessary to ensure a significant increase in forested areas through legal mechanisms and to provide people with necessary timber through controllable legal felling.”