Resorts of the North Caucasus accuses Greens
Statement for the media on separate aspects of environmental activity by Resorts of the North Caucasus
A new accusatory statement by the Russian department of the international organization Greenpeace toward the company Resorts of the North Caucasus is speculation with fake documents. That is how RNC considered the information on the construction of resorts in nature reserves, spread by Greenpeace.
The company hasn’t sent the Concept of establishing of tourist cluster neither at the X investment forum in Sochi, and thousands of witnesses can confirm it, nor somewhere else. The company has no information on secret presentations of the Concept.
Greenpeace published separate working materials of RNC, which it got by doubtful means, by the way, these materials are out of date, and presented them as the general plan of construction in nature reserves, plus it accused the company of deceiving the society and investors.
Furthermore, activists of Greenpeace didn’t delve into the subject of the published “Concept”. They flaunt quotations on the fact that a part of the nature reserve is situated in the special economy zone. RNC has already explained that the special economy zone means a territory with special legal status and beneficial economy conditions, rather than the territory for construction. Calling the special economy zone a plan of construction is striving for a conflict without any serious reason.
Ecologists should pay attention to the concept “areas of exploration,” which was taken by Greenpeace from the working materials of RNC, and it gave a passing mention to it only. We can speak only about exploration of territories in most places of future resorts. Construction works have been begun only in one of five resorts, Arkhyz, where necessary examination was carried out, norms and standards were observed and no points at issue are left.
As the participant of the round table Preservation of the ecology system of the North Caucasus, RNC can’t help but mention aspersing of other participants of the discussion. For example, the vice-speaker of the State Duma, Svetlana Zhurova, stated on amendments to the law not for “exclusion of lands from the nature reserve” (Greenpeace version), but for substitution of lots, which lost endemicity, by more valuable lots from the point of view of biodiversity of territories.
Reputable Russian and foreign ecologists expressed one solid opinion that full conservation of the huge region with multimillion population is ridiculous. Nature of the Caucasus and other regions suffers not only from the projects of development, but mostly from lack of effective ecology policy and culture of careful environmental management. By the way, RNC stated on readiness to preserve ecologic system of the region and work with professional ecologists, national and foreign non-governmental organizations.
Several top managers of RNC used to be common activists of Greenpeace. They shared high views expressed by initiators of the organization. However, at the moment we can see that separate members of the Russian department of the organization have different aims. Only it can explain intentions to ruin RNC’s work, when agreements on large foreign investment to the North Caucasus have been signed.
In this regard, the so-called official request by Greenpeace to RNC on construction of resorts in nature reserves is considered by the company as ridiculous. However, the company RNC underlines that it is ready to dialogue with all organizations, which don’t use fake materials in their work.
The deputy general director of Resorts of the North Caucasus, Rostislav Murzagulov
Greens accuse RNC
Resorts of the North Caucasus began PR-company against social and ecology organizations
The North Caucasus Environment Watch expresses concern by unreasonable accusations of Russian Greenpeace by the deputy general director of Resorts of the North Caucasus
On September 21, 2011, RNC spread the statement for the media, signed by the deputy general director of the company, Rostislav Murzagulov, in which it unreasonably accused Greenpeace of Russia in folk-leasing and speculation of fake documents.
However, the statement is irrational. At first, Murzagulov said that the documents are fake, but later he noted that they are out-of-date working materials of RNC. By the way, the company rejected request by Greenpeace of Russia on providing a new version of materials.
The North Caucasus Environment Watch has the same version of the Conception on establishing tourist cluster in the North Caucasus Federal District, Krasnodar Territory and Adygea, which was published by Greenpeace of Russia. It was given us by an independent source in the government of the Russian Federation. There is no doubt in its authenticity.
Murzagulov writes that “reputable Russian and foreign ecologists expressed one solid opinion that full conservation of the huge region with multimillion population is ridiculous. Nature of the Caucasus and other regions suffers not only from the projects of development, but mostly from lack of effective ecology policy and culture of careful environmental management.”
This statement is not true. At the round table in Sochi on September 17, 2011, the question on full conservation of the North Caucasus region wasn’t discussed. It would be strange to discuss it, as specially protected natural areas take only 10% of all mountain environment system of the North Caucasus.
The statement on slander toward Svetlana Zhurova is also inaccurate. Description of the speech by Zhurova is presented by Greenpeace of Russia with relevance to information, published by Environment Watch. And Zhurova didn’t complain about the information, she only asked to add several details on the mark of vehicle, which she drove.
The North Caucasus Environment Watch hopes that Resorts of the North Caucasus will change their policy and will try to establish real dialogue with environmental non-governmental organizations, including those which criticize the company. In favor of it open discussion of certain plans on construction of resorts should be established.
The North Caucasus Environment Watch
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