Georgian PM: Sanctions on illegal logging, forest use tightening across country

Sanctions on illegal logging and illegal forest use are being tightened across Georgia, with changes also involving regulations on cutting and production of wood plants, the country’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze revealed on Thursday.

Kobakhidze said the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture had prepared a draft law tightening responsibility to address concerns regarding “facilities for illicit forest use”.

The sawmills face strict penalties for violating their registration obligations as a result of the amendments. Up until recently, a crime was punishable by one year imprisonment, while the new sanction is defined from one to three years. A new article [...] will be added to the Criminal Code on placement of logs on the territory of the sawmills”, he said.

Previously only administrative liability was provided for this offence, now criminal liability is determined, [and] we are talking about imprisonment for a term of one to three years. If a large amount of round timber is placed illegally, in this case three to five years of imprisonment is provided as a sanction”, he added.

The PM also noted the amendments also established criminal responsibility for illegal cutting of a “large amount” of wood plants in state forests or protected areas, and provided for five to seven years of imprisonment.

The forests are something that we should take special care of. The forests are a special wealth of our country, which we must preserve for the future generations, and that is what the preventive measures that have been developed and are reflected in the relevant laws”, the official said.

In his comments, the country’s Agriculture Minister Otar Shamugia said his office had started a “complex reform” in the forestry sector following the adoption of the new Forest Code, and noted forest restoration and planting activities were being “actively” carried out, with an area of ​​more than 4,000 hectares covered.