Tbilisi, Georgia, Feb.5
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
Georgia should immediately start negotiations with Azerbaijan to prevent the growth of prices for gas supplied to the country, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at a government meeting on Feb.5.
"We need to maintain the current tariffs on gas supply to Georgia and with this purpose, it is necessary to start negotiations with Baku," he said.
Garibashvili added that Georgian government has already discussed this issue with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), adding that the company's representatives expressed full readiness for cooperation and reaching agreements.
The prime minister said it is not ruled out that the Georgian government will propose Azerbaijan to cancel or delay the increase of tariffs for the gas supplied to the country.
SOCAR which supplies gas to Georgia, adopted a decision to increase the tariff for gas for the country's enterprises from 75 to 90 tetri (100 tetri = 1 GEL; $1= 2 GEL) per one cubic meter due to decrease in the exchange rate of GEL to dollar.
SOCAR is engaged in the distribution of gas and petroleum products and owns a network of gas stations in Georgia.