Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 5
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
The government of Georgia is working to prevent the increase of gas prices for commercial consumers, Deputy Energy Minister Mariam Valishvili told Trend Feb.5.
"If it is possible to avoid the increase of gas tariff, we will do it," said Valishvili.
She said that in accordance with the decree of the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, negotiations and consultations on this issue are currently underway.
"He instructed to find resources in order to mitigate this effect," said the deputy minister. "If it doesn't happen, then the rates will be increased."
At the same time Valishvili noted that the issue of increasing gas prices doesn't involve private consumers.
"The intentions to increase prices concerned only the commercial sector," she said. "Gas tariffs for the population remain at the same level and their increase is not planned."
Previously, subsidiary of the main supplier of gas to Georgia, Azerbaijani company SOCAR, the company Socar Georgia Gas issued a message about the intention to increase the cost of natural gas for commercial customers in Georgia.
"Given the volume of import of natural gas and changes in the national currency, the lari in relation to the US dollar, it became necessary to adjust the price of natural gas for consumers of the private sector of Georgia," said the message.
Socar Georgia Gas Ltd. sets the price in the amount of 0.90 GEL (including VAT) per cubic meter of natural gas for commercial customers of all categories (except bakeries) since March, 1, according to the message.
Over the past two months, the national currency rate of Georgia decreased from 1.75 GEL to 2 GEL / $1.
Edited by CN
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