Today news:

economics

EX-MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DOES NOT EXCLUDE CHANGE OF GAS TARIFF IN GEORGIA

Gas supply from Azerbaijan with unchanged tariff does not mean that gas tariff will not change in Georgia, the former Parliament deputy, ex-minister of economic Lado Papava said today after Tbilisi-Baku TV-bridge, held in RIA Novosti’s international press-center.

According to Papava, changing of tariff depends on many things, including currency exchange rate and those corrupt transactions, which were established in a system and frequently are backed by the government, Papava notes.

LADO PAPAVA: KEEPING OF LARI RATE ON 1.65 LEVEL IS IMPOSSIBLE

Former MP, ex-minister of economic Lado Papava sees impossible to keep exchange rate on the level of 1.65 GEL/USD. Papava proves his forecast by the fact that neither investments’ inflow nor remittances from Georgians, working abroad, could reach their pre-war level in the near future.

REMITTANCES, TRANSFERRED TO GEORGIA IN OCTOBER, EXCEEDS PREVIOUS TWO MONTHS FIGURES

According to National Bank of Georgia (NBG), volume of sums transferred to Georgia through various electronic remittances’ systems (Western Union, Anelik, MoneyGram, etc.) made up $92.05 million in October 2008. These figures are more by 24.7% compared with August and by 6.9% – compared with September.

CLEANING OF DRAIN CONNECTION IN BATUMI STILL LASTS

Ajara government informs that cleaning works of drain connection, started in Batumi in May, continue. Rehabilitation, which should be completed in 2-3 years, cost the Ajara government 21 million lari.

business

INVITATION OF BIDS IS ANNOUNCED ON CONSULTING SERVICE FOR EAST-WEST HIGHWAY SECTION UPGRADE

Road Department of Georgian Economic Development Ministry invites bids on consulting service for reconstruction of Igoeti-Sveneti section (55-80 km) of East-West highway. The service should start in December 2008 and will last until April 2009.

CAUCASUS ONLINE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF VARNA-POTI FIBER-OPTIC LINE

Internet service provider (ISP) Caucasus Online completed its project on construction of Varna-Poti fiber-optic line. As the company told Sarke, system successfully passed testing and it will be launched in commercial regime in the near future.

DISMANTLEMENT OF CAUCASUS ONLINE’S GE-LINK NET IS STOPPED

Supervisory Service of Tbilisi City Hall stopped dismantlement of GE-Link, fiber-optic network of internet service provider (ISP) Caucasus Online, deputy head of the Service David Avaliani told Sarke.

According to Avaliani, the company should bring the already installed network in compliance with legislation, and should get permissions for laying new segments.

LLC AKHALI KSELEBI AND LLC AKHTELI APPEALED THE DECISION OF COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

LLC Akhali Kselebi and LLC Akhteli made a complaint in the city court against the decision of the National Communications Commission. The matter concerns the litigation of LLC Akhali Kselebi and LLC Akhteli against LLC MagtiCom.

FISHING LICENSEE-COMPANIES COULD NOT MASTER EVEN 20% OF BLACK SEA FISH QUOTA IN THREE SEASONS

On November 13, Georgian Economic Development Ministry approved Black Sea fishing quota for the season of 2008-2009. The volume did not change since 2008, amounting to 65,000 t.

PROCREDIT BANK OPENED A NEW BRANCH

ProCredit Bank reported about a new branch opening in the International Tbilisi Airport. The new branch has around-the-clock work 7 days a week, the bank noted.

LLC TOBE AIMS TO ATTRACT INVESTORS

Tengiz Chikhradze, director general of LLC Tobe (concrete and ferroconcrete producer) told Sarke that Turkish side is going to acquire the share of the LLC soon. Negotiations are under way and deal details will probably be known by the end of the month, he said.

ENERGOPRO GEORGIA TO ACQUIRE KAKHETI ENERGY DISTRIBUTION

JSC EnergoPro Georgia announced that it will pay $6.1 million lari in the property of JSC Kakheti Energy Distribution. The starting price of JSC Kakheti Energy Distribution, which was auctioned for the seventh time these days, is $6 million.

REALTY ALL OVER GEORGIA WORTH $25.84M IS AUCTIONED

Georgian Economic Development Ministry announced auctions on realty, located in various regions of Georgia. Total starting price makes up $25.84 million.

BUILDING IN BATUMI IS AUCTIONED

Ajara Finance and Economy Ministry put up to term auction building in Batumi (Gogebashvili Str. 46).

LAST WEEK REVIEW

privatization & investment

FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING

It is known that power enterprises being natural monopolies are under constant rapt attention of the state that cares about its power security.

Georgian power system had not been fit to operate independently and for the past ten years of political independence the problem of natural gas and power supply has not been solved.

politics & society

THE WAR

The whole territory of Georgia, far beyond Tskhinvali region, is targeted by Russian aviation for bombardments. Vaziani near Tbilisi, Black Sea port of Poti, Senaki in Samegrelo region, Gori and others cities of Georgia are bombed.

For further information:

Sarke