EU court orders Poland to stop logging in Białowieża immediately

The European Court of Justice ordered Poland to immediately halt large-scale logging in the oldest parts of the primeval forest in Białowieża. According to the court, the logging should stop immediately as it could cause “serious and irreversible damage” to the forest, while both sides will argue their case in court, which could take years. The European Commission sued Warsaw claiming that logging violates the bloc's wildlife protection laws. Poland's environment ministry, argues that it is needed to protect the forest from an invasion of bark-eating beetles. Since logging started, timber harvesting has increased threefold in Białowieża. Should Poland lose the case, it could be fined a lump sum of more than €4 million and possible daily penalties of up to €300,000 for every day in which Warsaw fails to adhere to the court's decision.