On December 20, 2017, drivers whose vehicles had been confiscated during the illegal transportation of timber held a protest in Akhaltsikhe. They demanded that law enforcement return their property. Some drivers claimed that despite presenting proper documentation and permits, they were still fined, and as a result, investigative agencies had seized around 250 vehicles from locals involved in timber transport.

According to residents, most of the vehicles had been confiscated unfairly. Control over illegal logging and timber transportation was exercised by three agencies — the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance, and the Department of Environmental Supervision. Some of the confiscated cars were parked in the yard of the Finance Ministry’s service agency in Akhaltsikhe, while others were kept near the so-called “Warm Springs” area.

To resolve the issue, three representatives of the protesters met with the Governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Akaki Machutadze, asking him to coordinate with the relevant authorities to ensure a prompt investigation.

After the meeting with the governor, the demonstrators dispersed. According to the regional administration’s official statement, the governor met with the protesters, familiarized himself with their problems, and promised to look into the matter. The statement also noted that resolving the issue would require adherence to certain procedural norms under the law.