President Mikheil Saakashvili met with the Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources Davit Chantladze to discuss the issue of supplying citizens with firewood during winter. According to Minister Chantladze 60 per cent of the population is already supplied with fire wood and the process still continues, however there are certain impediments in terms of bad roads in the forests and lack of equipment. The President instructed the Minister to address the existing problems, stressing that in the following weeks hundreds of tractors, whose number will exceed 3 000 by the end of the year, will be distributed. The President said that this was a years-long plan that will now be put into operation. "Now that natural gas is not everywhere in Georgia yet, it is inhuman and illogical to impose artificial restrictions. The presidential vouchers that would supply each family with 5 cubic meters of fire wood have to be provided to hundred thousands of families living in villages. This will be enough to go through winter. Proceeding from our motto and my decision, no one must be hungry and cold. Vouchers must be provided immediately. Those who have already paid the charge will be able to use the voucher next year. We help people to rationally exploit forests. Obviously, everything should have its owner, leaseholder and proprietor; however it does not mean that we should create problems to people. Natural resources that we have belong to people and people have to benefit from it,"- stated the President.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia