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NGOs Protesting Law on Environmental Protection

April 4, 2012

On March 28th different NGOs protested against the amendments made to the Law on Environmental Protection at the press-conference held in the center of Ecology Law. Representatives of NGOs address President with the request to dismiss the Minister of Energy Aleksandre Khetaguri from his position. Approximately ten organizations signed the letter.

Lawyer of Center of Ecology Law Nikoloz Mzhavanadze states that the draft law initiated by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and adopted by the Parliament through the third hearing will damage the environment, is anti-constitutional and contradicts the existing legal provisions.

According to the amendments, an agreement can be made with an interested individual for indefinite time according to which any action on the state owned territory will be deemed legal after paying the compensation.

NGOs already sent one letter to the President requesting the vetoing on the law adopted by the Parliament.

Nikoloz Mzhavanadze stated that various protest actions will be held at different governmental departments and this fight will not end until they will reach concrete results.

Representatives of NGOs talked about the dangers this law can cause for the state ecology. According to them, the state which declares tourism, particularly ecotourism as its priority, will not be able to develop if such laws are implemented.

According to Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, if the President signs the draft law and it takes effect, they will submit complaint to Constitutional Court and other NGOs will join as well.

According to Lia Todua, representative of Center of Strategic Research and Development, after the agreement is made with the interested individuals, any criminal act can go unpunished. The “interested individual” will not be even imposed with the fine for damaging environment. The state will not even have right to examine its territory.

Tamta Beliashvili

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