A Russian court has ruled to demolish the landfill at the heart of a year-long battle over Moscow’s waste, marking a major victory for regional activists who actively opposed its construction, news outlets reported Thursday.
Local authorities in northern Russia’s Arkhangelsk region sued the company constructing the landfill at the Shiyes train station in February 2019 following months of sustained protests. The local issue has rapidly expanded into a nationwide movement against Moscow’s plans to export its garbage to less populated areas.
The Arkhangelsk region’s arbitration court ruled that the construction at Shiyes is illegal and ordered its constructor to tear it down within one month, the Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported.
“This is a happy day in Urdoma,” lawyer Alexander Kozenkov told the Ekho Moskvy radio station, referring to his client, the nearby town whose administration won the lawsuit.
In comments to the RBC news website, Kozenkov cautioned that the judgment has not yet taken effect.
The company building the landfill, Technopark, plans to appeal the court decision, its spokesman Alexander Gryzunov told the 29.ru news website.
The appeals process could last into 2021, said Yevgeny Abakumov, who heads the “Stop Shiyes” interregional environmental group’s legal department.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
