The Georgian Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Davit Songhulashvili, has introduced Besik Amiranashvili as the new head of the National Forestry Agency to the agency’s staff.

The Minister extended his best wishes to Amiranashvili for success in delivering the vital projects outlined within the framework of the forestry reform.

“Given his professionalism and experience, particularly his work across various regions, we have selected Amiranashvili to lead the realisation of the significant reforms we have planned. We are confident that the sector will continue to advance; our focus will be on enhancing forest protection, restoration, and the more efficient utilisation of this invaluable resource, which constitutes the nation’s wealth. Simultaneously, we aim to support the growth of the agency. As you are aware, as part of the reforms, the salaries of forest guards have doubled since January this year, which undoubtedly serves to boost staff motivation,” stated Minister Davit Songhulashvili.

The Minister also expressed gratitude to the former head of the Forestry Agency, Kakha Tsertsvadze, for his work and contributions to the sector’s development.

Besik Amiranashvili, a trained lawyer, brings many years of public service experience, including his tenure as the State Governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti. Most recently, he served as Chairman of the Agency for Protected Areas within the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.

According to the National Forestry Agency, in his remarks, Amiranashvili thanked the Minister for his confidence and reaffirmed his readiness to lead the ongoing reforms within the forestry sector.