Development of Environment Protection

Guests:

Michael Nekvasil- Second Secretary, Deputy Head of the Project division; EC Delegation to Georgia;

Zaza Gamtsemslidze – First Deputy Chairman of the Environmental;

Zaal Lomtadze – Adviser to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.

Expert:

Keti Gujaraidze – Political analyst at Association “Green Alternative”.

European Neighborhood Policy’s EU-Georgia’s Action Plan together with other subjects instructs Georgia to undertake various steps together with other issues about Environmental protection and natural resources.  What are obligations of Georgia? Why is it important to harmonize Georgia’s environmental protection legislation with European legislation? Why is this significant for the EU common environment protection legislation? What has been done during the last years for the  improvement of environmental protection?

Guests: Zaza Gamtsemslidze first Deputy Chairman of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee of the  Georgian parliament  spoke about Georgia’s steps concerning the harmonization of Georgian national environment protection legislation to  EU Environment protection legislation and outlined the ongoing project about “cooperation for Black Sea environment protection”. In the framework of this project two significant documents were prepared – conception of Georgia on Water law and the guidebook that foresees Georgia’s water law harmonization with European directives.

Mr. Michael Nekvasil Second Secretary, Deputy Head of the Project division at EC Delegation to Georgia, emphasized the EU’s attitude toward environment protection  legislation. He spoke about the importance of harmonization with European legislation in order to make more successful the cooperation with the EU and also about amendments in the national legislation of Georgia.

An adviser to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Mr. Zaal Lomtadze highlighted several important aspects. He spoke about reform in the water sector. Precisely, about the introduction of integrated management principles, legal amendments in terms of waste management and on environment influence assessment procedure.

A political analyst of the association “Green Alternative,” Keti Gujaraidze , spoke about a publication prepared by the association on the EU-Georgia Action Plan  in the field of environment protection and sustainable development. The action assessment was reviewed and recommendations were presented. Fulfillment of these conditions will facilitate meeting obligations predicted in the action plan.