The Agrarian Issues and Regional Policy and Self-Government Committees jointly discussed the draft Forest Code with the accompanying legislative package in the first reading.
According to the rapporteur, Chair of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee, Maia Bitadze, at the initial stage of enactment of the Code, the practice revealed the need to refine certain norms and regulate the legislation.
“The new Forest Code went into effect in January of this year, marking a significant step forward in the implementation of sustainable forest management principles. The major purpose behind sustainable management principles is to limit the amount of pressure on the forest as much as possible while maximizing the economic and ecological benefits. The key element that the Code brings for this aim is the transfer of authority to produce timber resources to the National Forest Agency, which is effectively the first step toward establishing sustainable forest management principles in Georgia”.
According to her, the problems are not related to the implementation of the principles announced and approved during the adoption of the Code, and making certain changes in the law does not change the main directions of forest reform.
"A number of flaws were uncovered after the formulation and enactment of the legislative act, which was to be expected given that it was a completely new legislative package with the primary procedural part governed by bylaws both before and after the law was passed. As a result, the difficulties were identified, and it was decided that a legislative act, rather than a government bylaw, would be the best way to describe them. The novelty, on the other hand, enshrines the innovations that emerged after the Forest Code was enacted. Included are topics such as fisheries and forest use integration, environmental impact assessment, and forest usage. This will minimize the bureaucracy that is widely used in environmental legislation”, - the rapporteur stated.
According to Bitadze, the changes are based on 12 basic principles, especially important changes in the Basic Law - the Forest Code: the first series of changes are related to the refinement of the Code in terms of terminology, so that their content is fully consistent with the real situation and forest management goals. Changes in the adjustment of forest fund boundaries are also important.
Due to the amendments to the Forest Code, the changes are also included in ten legislative acts, the drafts of which were also introduced by Bitadze.
The legislative initiative is authored by the MPs: Maia Bitadze, Khatia Tsilosani, Gogi Meshveliani, Nino Latsabidze, Irakli Zarkua, Alexander Dalakishvili, Edisher Toloraia, Irakli Khakhubia, Nodar Turdzeladze and David Katcharava.
Both Committees approved the document to the Plenary.
