Georgia, Tbilisi, Sept.1. / Trend N.Kirtzkhalia /
SOCAR (State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan) and Georgia have reached an agreement on reduction of tariffs for the Georgian people, Georgian Energy Minister, Alexander Khetaguri, said at the briefing on Sep.1.
"We had difficult and lengthy negotiations which ended successfully and the re-connected subscribers will pay at lower rates," Khetaguri said, noting the decrease in gas tariff will concern the residents of Tbilisi, as well as the other regions of Georgia.
The citizens, who newly connected to the gas network of the country, paid 0.75 lari (1.68 lari is $ 1) per cubic of gas in Tbilisi. From Sept.1 they will pay 0.50 lari per 1 cubic meter of gas, as other subscribers. In regions tariff will be cut by 0.20-0.25 per 1 cubic meter.
SOCAR is a major supplier of natural gas to Georgia. Its subsidiary company SOCAR-Georgia intends to provide additional 57,000 subscribers of Georgia with gas by late 2009.
"The cut will be significant for our people on the eve of the coming winter and it becomes possible thanks to our Azerbaijani partners," Khetaguri said.
According to Khetaguri, this agreement is intended for the future, as 45 percent of the country's population is will be supplied with gas.
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