David Songulashvili: ' It was crucial, on the one hand, to improve air quality and, on the other, to take into account the interests of the private sector.”

David Songulashvili: " It was crucial, on the one hand, to improve air quality and, on the other, to take into account the interests of the private sector."

"It was important to achieve two objectives simultaneously: improving air quality while also taking into consideration the interests of the private sector," stated the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. David Songulashvili, on the decision to impose a 4.5-lari customs tariff on vehicles older than six years instead of banning their import.

According to the Minister, the decision was made with the best interests of citizens taken into consideration.

"Taking into account the requests of our citizens was a key motivation behind this decision. On the one hand, the increased tariff will act as a deterrent to the import of older vehicles; on the other hand, such restrictions are expected to contribute to the improvement of air quality, which is one of the key priorities of environmental policy," Mr. Songulashvili said.