Director of National Park gets sack for defending area from developers

The director of Tatrzanski National Park (TPN), Wojciech Gasienica-Byrcyn was dismissed from his duties yesterday by Environment Minister, Antoni Tokarczuk. During a press conference, the minister accused the former director of not cooperating with local governments, which aim to sell a couple of thousand hectares of the Park. "I want to protect the natural surroundings for Poles, not just for ground hogs," the Minister explained. The director of TPN has become famous for blocking large investments in the area of the Park such as ski-slopes and other attractions, and also refused to let the park be used for a future winter Olympics. "The dismissal of Wojciech Gasienica-Byrcyn is a scandal. Of course, it's about money. People who have caused the director's dismissal see nothing but business in this world," said one local on hearing of the dismissal. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p1; Rzeczpospolita, p.1) A.K.