Greenpeace Poland filed a complaint with the European Commission after Slovakia approved the shooting of 350 bears, threatening the small Polish bear population near the border.
Mass Shooting Details
Slovakia has authorised the killing of 350 bears across its territory, with 76 designated for the border region – roughly half of Poland’s bear population.
Greenpeace’s Allegations
Greenpeace claims the shooting is illegal, violates EU law, and jeopardises the breeding grounds in the Polish Carpathians.
Legal Action
The organisation has lodged a complaint with the European Commission and counter‑alleged that Slovakia failed to conduct the required environmental impact assessment under the SEA Directive.
Cross-border Population
Telemetry data show bears migrate among Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary and even Romania, increasing the risk of Polish bears being culled during Slovakia’s reduction effort.
Sustainable Alternatives
Greenpeace advocates better waste management and non‑lethal deterrents to prevent bear‑human conflicts, arguing the government bypassed these measures.
Slovak and Polish Responses
Slovak officials maintain that killing 350 bears will not threaten the species, citing a total population of about 1,300 prior to the shoot.