Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia held and led an Executive Government Meeting today. Members of the Cabinet of Ministers discussed 18 agenda items.

Discussion was related to legal amendments proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to the Laws on Higher Education and on the Scientific Technologies and Their Advancement, as a result of which a restriction has been removed on the election of people over the age of 64 to administrative positions within the higher education institutions. Also, citizens of foreign countries that received a complete general schooling in Georgia within the scope of international programs will be entitled to continue their studies and receive a degree education in Georgia without passing the common entry-level national examinations.

Also, legal amendments made to the Law of Georgia on the Quality Advancement of Education were discussed, on the grounds of which training in the official language will be permitted independently to general schooling and higher education institutions without a need of incorporating a designated legal entity. It has been highlighted that the referred legal amendments are essential for a greater access to programs of official language training as well as for the decentralization of education institutions.

Members of the Cabinet of Ministers also discussed a Draft Law, according to which strict penalty sanctions will be introduced for putting agricultural land plots to fire. In line with the referred Draft Law, a new administrative penalty will be set for putting grain plants (including their shoots) on fire in the volume of 1000 GEL per hectare for physical entities and 2000 GEL – for legal entities. Draft Law was developed to prevent the common malpractice, which implies fires on agricultural land plots after collecting a harvest as it greatly harms the soil and environment. In addition, the possibility of spreading fire to the adjacent land plots, fields, forests or settlements is huge.

Draft Government Decree on the Terms and Conditions of Selection, Planting and Care of Plants for a Green Surface within Municipalities of Georgia (Except for the Self-Governing Cities) was passed at the Executive Government Meeting today. According to the new Draft Government Decree, recreation spaces will be created within the urban setting that will facilitate an improved health condition, wellbeing and quality of life for local residents.

Draft Government Decree is aimed at enabling the introduction of a common and sound system for a green surface to exist in urban areas of municipalities by taking into account the terms and conditions of selecting, planting and caring for plants for a green surface.