EUROPEAN UNION advocate-general Yves Bot said yesterday that Poland has broken environmental laws by logging in the ancient Bialowieza forest.

The forest, the largest remnant of Europe’s primeval woodland outside Russia, is a World Heritage Site and the last stronghold of a number of rare animals, including the European bison.

Poland has been at loggerheads with the EU since the Court of Justice told it to stop felling trees last summer. Greenpeace and other environmental campaigners have staged protests, including chaining themselves to trees. Polish authorities arrested 22 people in November for protesting outside Poland’s forest management agency.

Greens-European Free Alliance European parliamentary group co-president Ska Keller said: “We must protect Poland and Europe’s green lungs and support the many conservationists and scientists who have protested against deforestation in this unique site.”

Poland’s government has given varying excuses for the logging, including fighting a spruce bark beetle outbreak and reducing the risk of forest fires.