The Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee deliberated on the Draft Administrative Offenses Code for the I reading.

The purpose of the legal initiative is to establish legal mechanisms that will serve a preventive function with respect to actions leading to environmental pollution.
According to the reporter, Chair of the Committee, Maia Bitadze, the amendments increase the fines prescribed for certain administrative offenses.

Specifically, the amendments concern the display or sale, within the territory of Tbilisi Municipality, of environmentally harmful or polluting waste—such as used tires, ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap, end-of-life vehicles and their parts, as well as easily flammable, explosive or dust-generating materials—in locations not designated by the Tbilisi City Assembly.

“Under the Draft, sanctions for specific violations are set to increase. Notably, the minimum existing fine of 200 GEL will rise to 6,000 GEL, while the highest fine—currently 1,000 GEL—will increase to 30,000 GEL. Although the statistics on imposed fines remain significant, it is encouraging that the trend has been declining over time”, - stated Maia Bitadze.

The Interior Ministry and the relevant municipal supervisory bodies are designated as the enforcement authorities for these offenses.

During the meeting, the Committee also discussed for the I reading the draft law submitted by the Government of Georgia: the Draft Law on the Establishment and Management of the Aragvi Protected Landscape.

The amendments were introduced by the Deputy Environmental Protection and Agriculture Minister, Zurab Ezugbaya.

According to the Draft, the boundaries of the Aragvi Protected Landscape—which currently include the valleys of the Gudamakari Aragvi, Pshavi Aragvi, and Khevsureti Aragvi rivers—will be expanded to also include the Vashlobi Valley, which will be granted the status of a protected landscape.

As a result, the total area of the Aragvi Protected Landscape will increase by 3,638 hectares.