Gotsiridze: Agreement Signed with Azerbaijan Does Not Allow Gas Tariffs to Be Maintained

Opposition politician Roman Gotsiridze claims that the government was deceiving the public when it said it had concluded a good agreement with Azerbaijan. According to him, this agreement does not allow the tariffs that have been in effect until now to be maintained. Gotsiridze made this statement on the "360 Degrees" program on Palitranews.

In his assessment, the decisions and statements made during the parliamentary discussion provide a strong basis for the conclusion that the gas tariff will increase for everyone.

According to Gotsiridze, the government said that a good contract had been signed with Azerbaijan and that the social gas tariff would not increase. The politician maintains that the tariff will increase because the concession ends this year, under which Shahdeniz gas was purchased at $70. According to him, the concession expires at the end of the year and Georgia switches to Azerbaijani gas, since this form of contract was not extended.

Gotsiridze added that the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline has been handed over and that Azerbaijan now transports gas to Europe. According to him, Georgia has remained with two pipelines, from Russia and Azerbaijan.

"We will receive additional gas at the same price or at double the price, no one knows," Gotsiridze said. According to him, a contract for the supply of additional gas from Azerbaijan has not been signed to date. The gas volume is known, but no one knows the price today.

According to Gotsiridze, the tariff will increase for everyone, more for some and less for others. "What relief should a person feel from the fact that my tariff increased by 10% while another's increased by 20%? The fact is, they have decided to raise the tariff," he said.