The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development has submitted a draft law to Parliament proposing increased fines for unauthorized construction, reconstruction or demolition, as well as violations of construction safety regulations. The draft, titled ‘On Amendments to the Code on Product Safety and Free Circulation,’ aims to standardize and raise penalties that currently vary depending on the location of the violation.
Under the current legislation, fines for breaching construction safety rules differ based on the site. For violations in cultural heritage protection zones, resort and recreational areas or within the territory of Tbilisi, the fine is 30,000 GEL. The same violation in a self-governing city outside Tbilisi is fined 500 GEL, in a city within a municipality – 200 GEL, and in towns or villages – 50 GEL.
If approved, the new law would establish the following penalties:
- Unauthorized construction, reconstruction or demolition that changes the building’s dimensions: On state or municipal property – 25,000 GEL; on private property – 8,000 GEL
- Unauthorized construction, reconstruction, or demolition without altering building dimensions, or unauthorized reconstruction of engineering or utility networks: 4,000 GEL
- Violation of construction safety rules: 30,000 GEL
- Abandonment of a construction site in violation of rules: 10,000 GEL
- Noncompliance with permitted conditions defined in construction documentation or regulations: 20,000 GEL.
