In Yaremche, inspections of off-road driving sparked protests from business owners
A conflict has arisen in Yaremche between organizers of jeep tours and environmentalists following inspections into illegal driving through nature reserve areas. Business owners gathered near the environmental inspection station to express their opposition to the raids and seek a resolution to the situation.
Environmentalists state that this year alone they have documented several cases of illegal off-roading and have already submitted the evidence to the court. At the same time, city authorities believe that such tours can operate, but only under strict rules.
In Yaremche, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, the situation surrounding off-road tours in the Carpathians has escalated. Following inspections during which environmentalists discovered off-road vehicles illegally traveling through nature reserve areas, a conflict arose between representatives of the tourism industry and regulatory authorities. According to the agency, on July 22, organizers of jeep tours gathered near an environmental inspection station. Environmentalists say the organizers attempted to block the station’s operations and demanded that the issue of driving through nature reserve areas be resolved.
The State Environmental Inspection explained that the day before, on July 21, inspectors, together with employees of the Carpathian National Nature Park and law enforcement officers, conducted a raid to investigate reports of illegal off-road vehicle travel through protected areas. They emphasize that such inspections are conducted to protect nature reserves and hold violators accountable.
What Was Discovered During the Raid
Based on the results of the inspection, environmental officials documented seven cases of illegal driving through protected natural areas. Administrative reports were filed for each case, and the case files have already been submitted to the court.
Inspectors also calculated the preliminary damage caused to the environment. According to official data, the damage amounts to 41,700 hryvnias. The vehicle owners have already been sent demands to compensate for this damage.
Environmentalists Are Also Investigating New Reports
In addition to the raids, the State Environmental Inspection continues to investigate reports of possible violations. Since the beginning of the year, specialists have reviewed 14 complaints, some of which were submitted through the “EcoThreat” service.
The preliminary estimate of potential environmental damage in these cases is nearly 1.4 million hryvnias. The agency notes that the investigations are ongoing.
What the City Authorities Say
Yaremcha Mayor Andriy Myronyak believes that there is no need to completely ban jeep tours. In his opinion, such a business can operate, but only under clearly defined rules. The mayor emphasized that off-road vehicles should travel only on officially designated roads and not drive through natural areas, as this is what causes the most damage to the environment.
He is also convinced that it is necessary to develop appropriate infrastructure for tourist routes, designate areas for vehicle stops, and ensure proper cleanup of the areas. Furthermore, according to Myronyak, organizers of jeep tours must operate legally, and their activities must be subject to state oversight.
According to the State Environmental Inspection, six state inspections have already been conducted since the beginning of the year, during which seven instances of illegal travel through protected areas were identified. Environmentalists emphasize that inspections will continue, and all identified violations will be subject to legal review. This was reported by the State Environmental Inspection of the Carpathian District. This was reported by the State Environmental Inspection of the Carpathian District.
