Tbilisi Mayor announces vast majority of pine trees in Tbilisi should be cut down

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated that 90% of pine trees in Tbilisi have a contagious disease and this is why they should be cut down. 

He said almost all pine trees have various parasites inside their bark.

Sick trees at the bank of River Mtkvari. Photo:netgazeti.ge.

Deputy Mayor Maia Bitadze stated it is not only Tbilisi that faces the problem, as pine disease has been observed across the country since the 1990s.

She added that anti-fungus preparations were applied for the pine trees treatment for all these years that was wrong.

Pine disease has been observed across the country since the 1990s. Photo:netgazeti.ge.

She added that the treatment of trees with antifungal substances has been misguided. 

We will totally remove the diseased trees… We plan to introduce new treatment means – injections that have never been used in Georgia so far,” Maia Bitadze said.

Bitadze also stated the injections will resolve the problem in all of Georgia, adding cutting and planting measures will also be carried out.