Accounting and compensation for Russia’s crimes are as important as rebuilding Ukraine, - Commissioner Sinkevicius
The European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virgijunius Sinkevicius, said that we should focus on the environmental crimes that Russia has been committing since the first day of this war in Ukraine.
He said this during the conference "United for Justice United for Nature" in Kyiv, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"We have to focus on the environmental crimes that Russia has been committing since the first day of this war, deliberately shelling targets such as water treatment plants, leaving people without clean water. From the first day, we have been concerned about nuclear safety, which is absolutely not respected, which could lead to a huge nuclear disaster. We see the loss of the ecosystem, and Ukraine has one of the most unique ecosystems in Europe, which is now being destroyed. And efforts to restore it will take many generations," he said.
He also noted that, of course, we need to ask ourselves what else can be done to end the war, but at the same time pay attention to the long-term consequences of the war.
"When an unprovoked invasion occurs, we, of course, focus on human casualties and human lives first and foremost. It is absolutely normal and always a priority to save human lives. But there is also other suffering that is also extremely important, which will inevitably have long-term consequences for the future of the country and for the areas around it. Because we understand that environmental pollution does not stop at borders. And when we look at the Black Sea ecosystem, we understand that these consequences will affect the entire region and perhaps even further," he said.
According to him, it is important to focus on three areas.
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"First of all, it is, of course, accounting, and this should be ensured by the Prosecutor General's Office together with the European institutions that play a crucial role in this - to ensure that we can calculate the damage caused using modern technologies, to make sure that we have operational data. After all, in the end, this damage is only growing every day and, as I said, these consequences will be felt for generations to come. Whether we are talking about the process of demining or getting rid of, clearing the destroyed equipment of the Russian occupiers," Sinkevicius stressed.
He also noted that the issue of compensation for damages is very important.
"Secondly, of course, it is compensation for damages. Russia must be held accountable for what it has done in Ukraine. Not only for the human cost, but also for the environmental damage, so having clear evidence will help us ensure that the damage is compensated. And thirdly, it is also extremely important, of course, to rebuild Ukraine, to rebuild it for the better. It's important that Ukraine's efforts to rebuild it are in line with Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union," he stressed.
