Denationalisation: Solicitor General Appeals Return of Woods in Triglav National Park

The Solicitor General cited that, according to the Constitution, public goods could only be put into special use, under certain terms, so the return of the woods would in effect be unconstitutional.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food issued an order on July 4 according to which the Diocese of Ljubljana is to have over 8,000 hectares of woods in the Triglav National Park, NW Slovenia, returned as part of denationalisation.

The Agriculture Ministry's decision annulled the stance of the local authorities, which on 12 April 2001 rejected the diocese's claim to get woods and other land in the park returned on ground of the special status of the park.

According to the Ministry the order was issued because "the law on the protection of nature cannot hinder restitution of the immovable property which is subject to denationalisation". Moreover, the denationalisation act took effect before the law on the protection of nature was even passed.

Bambic went on to explain that another reason for the law suit is the inconsistency in regard to the value of the forests. In 1948, when the forests were nationalised, the value was estimated at DEM 15,092,707, while upon return their value was estimated at only DEM 12,583,760. The decree does not give an explanation for the lower value of forests, while the Solicitor General believes the value had actually increased by another million D-marks. Since the state is obliged to return the full value of confiscated assets, it would now also have to pay the difference in sums.

Agriculture Minister Franci But said that the Solicitor General's case presented no new evidence that the Ministry had not already considered prior to making its decision. He added that the Ministry will make a more detailed comment on the appeal after it has received and studied it.

Source: Slovene Press Agency STA