Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
There have been no prerequisites for the return of the KazTransGas-Tbilisi gas distribution company to the Kazakh side yet, Georgian Deputy Energy Minister Mariam Valishvili said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
She said that the main condition for the return of KazTransGas-Tbilisi under the control of Kazakhstan is to reach agreement on the existing debt of the company with the ministry of finance of Georgia.
"If no decision is taken on this issue, I doubt that KazTransGas-Tbilisi may come back under the control of the Kazakh side," said Valishvili.
The deputy minister said that the negotiations regarding the KazTransGas-Tbilisi are underway, but the final decision hasn't been made.
"There is no agreement on installment payments or restructuring of these debts," she said. "Temporary manager from Georgia will remain in the company until the issue about the debt is resolved."
In May 2006, the Kazakh Company "KazTransGaz" became the owner of the Tbilisi gas distribution company "Tbilgazi" as a result of an investment contest, paying $12.5 million for the company.
In 2009 it introduced the government management due to the debts in the amount of 80 million Lari ($1 = 1.74 lari).
After the change of power the Kazakh side hoped to return to the management of the company, but it has been almost for two years that the government of Georgia states that Kaztransgaz has not paid off the debt, so the company is still under the state control.
Edited by CN
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