Georgia to establish new ministry

Georgia will open a new ministry based on the Energy Ministry, Prime
Minister Nika Gilauri said on Tuesday, Trend reports.

It will be called the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, he
said, emphasizing that the new structure will be authorized to license
resource extraction and work on energy issues.

The ministry will also preserve the functions of the Ministry of
Ecology and Natural Resources, which will be disbanded. The
construction of river-bank reinforcements will be supervised by the
Ministry for Regional Administration and Infrastructure. The Ecology
Ministry will work on issues referring to its name only. The new
structure will be approved in the Georgian parliament today.