Judge Shota Getsadze of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals conducted a training session on construction law matters for 56 practicing lawyers, members of the Georgian Bar Association (GBA) from Adjara Region. The training was organized by the USAID Rule of Law Program in collaboration with the GBA.

The primary focus of the training was to provide an overview of the Georgian normative acts that govern the key issues and principles of city planning, spatial planning and urban planning, architecture, and construction activities throughout Georgia. This included a thorough examination of the laws of Georgia pertaining to construction activities, as well as the Code of Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Activities.

During the training, Judge Getsadze delved into various topics, such as the right to property and the right to a healthy environment in the context of construction activities. He also covered the terms, conditions, and procedures for obtaining building and construction permits, as well as construction offenses and the appropriate sanctions associated with them.

Furthermore, the training encompassed discussions on the resolution of construction disputes by regional and appellate courts, emphasizing the standards set by the Supreme Court of Georgia and the decisions rendered by the European Court of Human Rights.

"I handle numerous construction law cases on a regular basis in my practice. The majority of these cases involve violations related to fines issued by the Department of Environmental Supervision. This workshop served as a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, and gaining practical experience that we can apply in our future work. We are truly engrossed in this meeting and wish it could continue indefinitely. While we understand that it is impossible to address all the issues within a span of two days, Mr. Getsadze made every effort to provide us with comprehensive information, encourage discussion, and respond to participants' questions. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the USAID Rule of Law Program for granting us this invaluable opportunity," said Tina Imnadze, a lawyer from Batumi.

Strengthening the capabilities of lawyers in Adjara is one of the key priorities for the USAID Rule of Law Program, particularly since the establishment of the Rule of Law Hub in Batumi.