The Committee considered with the first reading the draft laws: “On Change to the Law On Conservation of Soil and Restoration and Improvement of Fertility”; “On Change to the Law On Public Health”; “On Change to the law On Ore” and “On Change to the Law On Water”.

According to the drafts, the Ministry of the Environmental Protection shall be renamed to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. Besides, the drafts envisage other changes as well. Namely, the draft law “On Change to the Law On Public Health” prescribes January 1, 2014 as the date of adoption of the Law “On Water Basin Management”.
The draft law “On Change to the Law On Water” will be implemented taking the circumstance into account that the Law “On Licensing and Permits” prescribes the full list of the license and permits, except the license and permits on water consumption.
The changes to the Law “On Ore” envisage bringing in accordance with the Law On “License and Permit”.
The Chairman of the Committee, Giorgi TSAGAREISHVILI stated that these drafts, alongside with the 43 drafts, considered by the Parliament in the previous week, establish the package, which serves as the foundation to the significant reform in environmental protection sphere.
“We have decided to restore the divided and demolished Ministry, equipping it with the increased functions, authority and higher funding. We consider, the enhanced Ministry will start exercising the imposed functions from May. And the four drafts will facilitate complete implementation of the reform”, - he noted. The Committee supported submission of the drafts to the plenary session.
The Chairman also made the statements in terms of several issues. According to him, elaboration of the Law On Water has already started in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which will be introduced to the Parliament and adopted until the end of the year. He noted that the Ministry invited the competent international experts to study the issues on environment on Khudonhes and make independent conclusions. He also called upon the entrepreneurs not to pollute environment and observe the requirements of the relevant law.
“Environmental protection is the priority for our country. We are not against the constructions, though it shall not be conducted on the account of health, future and pollution” – he stated.