Mar 10, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Italian branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) alarmed that the illegal wood cutting in Bulgaria amounted to over 1.5 million cubic metres annually and severely threatened the sustainable forest management and the preservation of biodiversity in that country, it was reported on March 7, 2005. About 45% of the wood produced in Bulgaria is considered to have been cut down illegally. Italy is the fourth biggest importer of Bulgarian wood after Greece, Turkey and Macedonia, the WWF said. According to the WWF report, the alarming situation in Bulgaria is a result of forestry law violations, corruption, loopholes in the current law system, inability to apply the laws and insufficient incentives for sustainable forest management. Bulgaria will soon become member of the European Union (EU) and should receive help in managing illegal forest cutting, the WWF said. As one of the biggest importers of Bulgarian wood, Italy should urge the EU to take concrete measures and implement the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade) plan of action, approved by the European Parliament, according to Edoardo Isnenghi, responsible for forestry at WWF Italy.