Trees in the Low Tatras felled without permission.

The Environment Ministry wants to toughen up conditions to prevent similar situations.The Slovak Environmental Inspectorate (SI#381P) has completed an inspection focusing on the construction of a new hotel complex in the valley of Demaumlnovskaacute Dolina, which will be situated close to the protected Vrbickeacute Pleso lake and on a biotope of European importance.

During the construction, the blueberry spruce forests which are part of the biotope were damaged. However, the inspectors found that the felling area did not exceed the size of the plot on which the hotel will stand, i.

e. some 16,000 square metres, the regional MY Liptov weekly reported.

"Thanks to state supervision, we have found that the constructor ordered the trees to be felled in Demaumlnovskaacute Dolina without a valid permit issued by an institution which regulates the felling of trees and without marking the trees that were to be chopped down, and thus without meeting the conditions set by the law on nature and countryside protection," SI#381P said, as quoted by MY Liptov.No crime committedHowever, the law enforcement bodies will not look into the case since the inspectorate does not think the construction has violated the current law, said Iveta Hu#269ko Stypovaacute from SI#381P.

"Since the plots were classified as forest land before the launch of the construction, the constructor observed the law when cutting down the trees," Hu#269ko Stypovaacute told MY Liptov.The inspection did not cover the social damage to the spruce forests.

However, the constructor might be fined up to euro33,000 for committing an administrative offence, the weekly reported.The investor in the five-star hotel is former co-owner of the Jasnaacute ski resort.

He rejected the claim that the trees were felled illegally, as reported by the public-service broadcaster RTVS.After the construction is completed...