“Timber prices are too high” – Czech minister dismisses director general of state forests

The dismissal of Dalibor Šafařík from the position of Director General of Lesy České republiky (Lesy ČR) has refocused attention on the Czech timber market, the price-setting role of state forests and the long-term consequences of fiscal pressure on forestry operations. While politically expected following the change of government, the decision has exposed unresolved tensions between market logic, industrial policy and public finance. Lesy ČR manages almost half of the Czech Republic’s forests and is therefore a structurally dominant supplier of logs. Its commercial policy has a direct and immediate impact on domestic sawmills, wood ...