Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

Otar Shamugia: Adoption of a new Law on Environmental Liability is an important step forward in improving the Environmental Governance System

"Improving the environmental governance system is the key to establishing a European environmental protection system. Our government has already taken important steps in this direction," said Mr. Otar Shamugia, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, while addressing the Members of the Parliament,  under the frame of the "Minister’s Hour".

The Minister noted, that the "Environmental Assessment Code" was launched in 2018, which resulted in significant improvements in the environmental impact assessment.
  
Raising awareness and encouraging public participation in the decision-making process at an early stage and holding public hearings have been ensured in the environmental impact assessment process. 
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 The Minister named the adoption of a new law on "Environmental Liability" as one of the important steps taken forward in improving the environmental governance system. According to Mr. Shamugia, the Ministry, together with the European Union, has carried out important works in the process of drafting the law.

"In spring 2021, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the aforementioned important document. The law introduces new commitments for the industrial sector from July 2022.

The enterprise that pollutes the environment in the course of its activities will be obliged to take appropriate measures to eliminate environmental pollution and spend the necessary funds for it.

The law imposes rather high penalties for non-fulfillment of obligations. We have already implemented significant institutional reform in the Ministry system to fulfill new commitments, specifically, new departments have been set up in the National Environmental Agency and the Department of Environmental Supervision, which will work on law enforcement. "At the same time, with the support of international partners, we are strengthening the capacity of the Ministry to ensure, that the system is prepared to fulfill new commitments," Mr. Otar Shamugia said.