In Tbilisi, people who have gathered near the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture to demand the cancelation of the license issued for Racha forests are requesting the arrival of the Public Defender, Levan Ioseliani, on the spot. Before that, the participants of the rally spread an umbrella after the permission of the police. The participants of the rally also want to set up a tent, but they say that the police don't allow it.
Those gathered at the stop say that the protest will continue. The main demand of the protest participants is the cancellation of the 49-year hunting license for 104,712 hectares of forest in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region issued in March 2022. In addition, the protest participants demand a meeting with the Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Otar Shamugia, to find out what the agency's plan is regarding Racha forests.
The Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture responded to the issue on November 18. According to the agency, there is no reason to hold protests and "it is a lie that the forest in Racha was sold". According to their explanation, the issue of declaring the hunting license invalid will be considered in the appropriate terms according to the law.