End of “jeeping” in the mountains: new law bans ATVs in national parks
9 January 2025 01:30
The Verkhovna Rada has approved in the second reading draft Law No. 11024 “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine’ to Ensure the Preservation of Territories and Objects of the Nature Reserve Fund.” This was reported by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The relevant draft law (No. 11 024) was voted for by 246 MPs. The path to its adoption officially began after the launch of the petition “On the Regulation of Jeeping in Ukraine” in September 2022.
According to Svitlana Hrynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the first step towards banning jeeping was taken in September 2022, when a petition was launched.
“Jeeping in protected areas pollutes the soil, destroys flora, and harms wildlife. And the adoption of this law is an important step towards the European traditions of managing protected areas. Vehicular travel will be partially restricted to employees of environmental protection agencies, law enforcement agencies and other services,” said Svitlana Hrynchuk, head of the Ministry of Ecology.
The Minister emphasized:
“If you are offered to admire the scenery of a national nature park and use an ATV to drive through the natural area, you should know that it is illegal.”
It should be noted that back in 2008, the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, Mykola Paliychuk, issued a decree No. 138 of March 18 banning jeeping and the use of other vehicles in the territories of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Nature Reserve Fund.
Taking into account numerous appeals from scientists and environmental organizations, it was decided to ban jeeping and the use of other vehicles in the Gorgany Nature Reserve, the Carpathian National Nature Park, and the Hutsulshchyna National Nature Park.
