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

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The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, holds a working meeting with the Heads of the Department of Environmental Supervision and Regional Services of the National Forestry Agency.

Within the competence of the mentioned Agencies, the parties reviewed the challenges, needs, and plans for the regions.

"It is important to hear information from the representatives of the regional services about the current situation, their activities, and existing challenges to make a timely and effective response. Despite the changes and progress we have made, we still have a lot of work to do. Within our competence, we provide full assistance to regional services", said Mr. Otar Shamugia.

The Minister emphasized the function and importance of the Department of Environmental Supervision and the National Forestry Agency for the country and focused on the need for technical and institutional strengthening of the agencies.

As mentioned, against the background of strengthening the capacities and increasing the functions of modern control mechanisms, the activities of the Department of Environmental Supervision and the National Forestry Agency have become even more effective, as evidenced by the statistics - in 2023, the employees of the Department of Environmental Supervision reviewed more than 12,700 facts of environmental legislation, and the services of the National Forestry Agency have revealed more than 1000 cases of illegal logging and transportation across the country. 

According to the Head of the National Forestry Agency, Mr. Kakha Tsertsvadze, prevention, detection, and suppression of illegal use of natural resources is one of the main priorities of the Agency in 2024.

According to Mr. Levan Jgharkava, Head of the Department of Environmental Supervision, significant activities are planned in the department this year to encourage the fulfillment of requirements in the environmental area and boost the efficiency of state control, such as establishing sanctions to prevent violations of law, which, based on the planned legislative amendments, will regulate the fight against poaching, illegal mining and pollution of the Black Sea.

The Deputy Minister, Mr. Kakha Kakabadze, and representatives of relevant services of the Agency attended the meeting.

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. Otar Shamugia, will gradually meet the Heads of all regional services of the Agency.