International organizations joined the campaign for protection of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park
International organizations joined the campaign of the Coalition “Transparent Foreign Aid to Georgia” concerning the “Black Sea Regional Transmission” project. The campaign aims at urging Georgian authorities not to use the most damaging route for Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park while the project implementation. A European Network of Protected Territories – PAN Parks Foundation appealed to international financial institutions with formal letter in a support of the campaign. Under the “Black Sea Regional Transmission” project it is planned to rehabilitate/construct 500 kW power transmission line from western Georgia to Azerbaijan and Turkey borders. The project is intended to be carried out with the financial support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB) and German Development Bank (KFW) (approximately 250 mln Euros in loans) that is the part of 4,55 bln USD international aid pledged to Georgia to overcome the crisis following the August 2008 Russia’s military aggression. Consequently to the warfare the most damage was done to the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. In the process of project implementation the Ministry of Energy of Georgia intends to use the route, which implies to completely cut out the forest zone of 12 km in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park. Although, there exist another alternative – to build the power transmission line as to pass through only the 4,5 km non-forest section of the park territory not causing deforestation and drastic environmental impact. The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is the first of the kind in the Southern Caucasus. Protection arrangements are permanently maintained here for more than 100 years. This is the only national park in the region so far, which is united in the International Network of Protected Territories. There are preserved virgin ecosystems and a number of endemic, surviving and endangered species in the park, which are protected by both national and international legislature. A European Network of Protected Territories – PAN Parks Foundation supports the claim of public sector of Georgia in regard with a selection of less harmful route for the “Black Sea Regional Transmission” project and appeals to the international financial institutions to take it into consideration when making a resolution on funding.
Irina lashkhi
Human Rights and Good Governance Program, Budget Transparency direction