The Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee discussed and unanimously approved the draft “Green Budget” document submitted by the Chair, Nino Tsilosani.

According to her, the draft has been developed with active participation of the Committee members and engagement of all parties concerned, civil sector and the Ministry. The document has been through the in-depth consideration to outline the key findings as a result of which, the recommendations have been developed mandatory for implementation to lead to the due development of the topics inquired during the development of the project.

“The Green Budget” is the important document to serve as the guideline for four upcoming years in the Parliamentary and Committee activity as it accumulates all the key issues to be necessarily reflected in the budget, which deriving from the laws adopted by us, requires structural and program enhancement and which is important to be considered in the budget to make the budget greener and take the ecology and environmental protection to the higher quality established for the joint environmental protection policy”, - she stated.

The document analyzes the outcomes of the realization of the state environmental functions and determines the budget priorities. It serves the basis for development of the recommendations for 2021-2024.

The reporter emphasized certain recommendations, namely the wider agricultural development strategy, ecology and eco-tourism, green business encouragement, climate changes, prevention of natural disasters, waste management etc. It is the document that factually determines the working priorities of the Committee for four upcoming years in the budget direction and these priorities shall be taken by the Committee to the higher stakes upon consideration of the budget every year.

The Committee has started the development of the Green Budget in cooperation with the CENN and active participation of the Environmental Protection Ministry, as well as related organizations and structures.

N. Tsilosani thanked all parties engaged for participation stating that the implementation of the recommendations is the common goal. She also introduced the reports on two thematic inquiries: “Lead Pollution of Environment in Georgia”, and “Municipal Waste State”, also approved by the Committee. Both problems are relevant and require the higher attention of the state. The Committee also issued the recommendations for solution of the hereof problems.

The Committee discussed with the III reading:

• The initiative of the Committee – the bill on Creation and Management of Pshav-Khevsureti Protected Areas (introduced by the First Deputy Chair of the Committee, Sulkhan Makhatadze);
• The initiative of the Government – the bills on System of the Protected Areas; Creation and Management of Aragvi Protected Landscape; Creation and Management of Truso Protected Landscape; Code of Administrative Offenses (introduced by the Deputy Environmental Minister, Nino Tandilashvili);

The Committee approved the bills without the editorial remarks and discussed the documents for ratification submitted by the Deputy Finance Minister, Giorgi Kakauridze:

• Loan Agreement between Georgia and EBRD (Energy Network Enhancement in Georgia);
• Change N1 to the Grant Agreement between Georgia (beneficiary) and Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (agency assuming the E5P-funded project “Improvement of Energy-Efficiency in Public Buildings in Georgia and Application of the Renewable and Alternative Energy”);
• Financial Cooperation Agreement between Georgia and Germany (2019);
• Change N1 to the Loan Agreement between Georgia and NEFCO (“Improvement of Energy-Efficiency in Public Buildings in Georgia and Application of the Renewable and Alternative Energy”);
• Loan Agreement between KfW, Frankfurt am Main and Georgia, represented by the Ministry of Finance (debtor) (utility infrastructure for environment and tourism (tranches “a” and “b”)).

The Committee approved the documents.