Residents of Bolnisi demanded that work in the gorge be stopped.

A new mining project is being implemented in the Bolnisi Mountains. It has not been discussed with local residents, and authorities are refusing to inform the public about the purpose of the work. At a meeting, villagers demanded an end to deforestation and mining operations in their area.

A residents' meeting against the work, which has been ongoing in the gorge for two months, took place in the village of Darbazi on May 10. Residents of six villages participated in the meeting.

According to municipal residents, neither local government bodies nor relevant ministries or government agencies provided them with any information about the work being carried out on the mountaintop. Following the meeting, the villagers sent a collective appeal to government agencies, which was signed by more than 500 people, Meydan TV reported on May 11.

Meeting participants have not yet been able to determine who is conducting work in the gorge and for what purpose. Mining in these areas could impact the environment, and decisions on such projects must be made by law with public participation, they noted.

In a statement following the meeting, the villagers demanded a halt to deforestation and an immediate end to the work in the gorge, which, according to them, is being conducted illegally. If licenses were issued for this work, they demand that they be revoked or revised, and that future mining permits not be issued in this area. The appeal was sent to 13 recipients, including the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, and other relevant agencies.

The company "Aremji" is carrying out heavy machinery and mass deforestation in the mountainous part of the Darbazi Valley, Pirveli TV reported in a May 10 report.

According to residents, gold mining continues in the area, causing serious environmental damage to vital natural resources—forests and meadows. Villagers suspect that the new operations are also related to the mining of gold, silver, and other metals.

Due to mining, the area's pastureland has significantly diminished over the past 15 years, crop yields have declined, and residents are subject to strict firewood collection limits, while the company "destroys mature trees without a problem," the report notes.

In response to residents' complaints, the Department of Environmental Supervision stated that the work is being carried out under license, but official government resources do not contain any permits issued for work near Darbazi or the surrounding villages. "If this work were being carried out for the benefit of the people, we are sure that government agencies and politicians would have widely publicized it. In reality, the village's natural environment is being destroyed in secret," NEWS.On.ge quoted villagers as saying on May 4.

Research conducted 16 years ago by German specialists found heavy metals in 15 types of vegetables grown in Bolnisi. Local residents believe this is a result of mining operations and also attribute the prevalence of cancer to this – Kvemo Kartli is among the regions of Georgia with the highest incidence of cancer, the publication notes.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that residents of the village of Kveshi in Bolnisi protested against the operations of the gold mining company RMG Gold in September 2023. They demanded that the company's trucks stop driving through the village, as the vehicles pollute the air and pose a danger to children.

RMG Holding is the largest gold and copper mining group in Georgia, uniting RMG Copper and RMG Gold. RMG Gold, or Rich Metals Group, was founded in 1994. The company's main activity is the mining and processing of gold, copper, and other non-ferrous metals in accordance with the mining license for the Sakdrisi deposit. Under this license, RMG will mine gold in the Bolnisi and Dmanisi districts until January 2042.