As we reported earlier, at the annual meeting of the spiritual leaders of the Mari traditional religion one of the discussed questions was a question about status of the sacred groves. We resemble, that there are 520 sacred groves in the republic and it is necessary to describe and to give their passports to the Government for accepting the legislative act, which ensures the proper protection of the sacred groves from the side of a state.

In the end of February 2008 a scandalous act of vandalism occurred in the Sovietskij region of Mari El republic, namely in the region of the village Tapsher of the Verh-Ushnurskij rural council. Criminals cut down 5 log transporters of trees from the sacred grove!

According to the news of the Press- service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Mari El republic at this moment there are several cases of the illegal cuttings of trees and bushes in the Sovietskij region, and the criminal case was commenced on it at the article 260 of the Criminal Codes of the Russian Federation, consequence is conducted as well.
Maximum punishment according to this article is a penalty of 500 000 rubles or the deprivation of freedom for the period up to 3 years with the deprivation of the right to occupy the specific posts, to do specific forms of activity for the period up to 3 years or without it.

Press- Service MTR