The Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee at the sitting presided by the Chair, Nino Tsilosani, discussed the bills with the I reading, including the Status on Protected Areas, which was approved by the Committee.

The bill by Nino Tsilosani, Sulkhan Makhatadze, Kakhaber Kuchava, David Songulashvili, and Roman Muchiashvili was introduced by the First Deputy Chair, Sulkhan Makhatadze and dwelt on the general principles of the bill.

The initiative establishes the total area of Mariamjvari Protected Territories on 5958.3 hectares to unify Mariamjvari State Resort and the newly created Tsiv-Gombori Sanctuary. It requires the appointment of one more district senior ranger and 4 four rangers to be indemnified with 55 200 GEL from the state budget 2021. Pursuant to the bill, Tsiv-Gombori Sanctuary status will be granted to 4935.8 hectares.

The bill is entailed with the fact that the territory of the sanctuary includes the flora and fauna species protected under the Red List. The bill shall no apply on the relations related to the use of the minerals on the territory, agreements/licenses concluded/issued under the law on Oil and Gas existent before the adoption of the bill.

The Committee discussed with the I reading the bill on Environmental Responsibility, which establishes the brand new standard in this sphere, as N. Tsilosani noted: “The bill is to regulate the most important issues which as for present have been resolved by the individual will, including the example of RMG, which in cooperation with the Parliament and the Ministry, and within the environmental responsibility, undertook the series of measures and eliminated the inflicted damage, and sometimes even prevented them. This is the example clarifying that the business is quite motivated and committed to minimizing the environmental damage and I believe in further successful practice and cooperation in this sphere between the state and the private sector”.

The bill was introduced by the Deputy Environmental Minister, Nino Tandilashvili, noting that the bill ensures the legal regulation of the prevention, mitigation and elimination of the environmental damage.

According to her, the bill is based on the EU directive on environmental responsibility and envisages all respective principles, aiming at establishing the new standard. As the reporter added, the bill is based on the Polluter Pays principle implying that obligation of the polluter to restore the damaged area to the initial state at own expenses. It is the fundamental principle of the bill outlining all the issues concerning the remuneration of the damage. Yet another principle of the bill is the damage prevention not regulated under the current law.

The bill establishes the financial guarantees for elimination of the damage – the subject conducting the high-risk activity, shall as for 2023, create the financial guarantees for prevention of the environmental damage.

The reporter answered the questions.

The Committee approved the bill with the I reading and discussed with the I reading the bill on Environmental Assessment Code initiated by Nino Tsilosani and Sulkhan Makhatadze.

The bill envisages the online public considerations under the pandemic.

The Committee approved the bill.