NO ONE NEEDS “TBILGAS”, GAS FOR ALL!

IRAKLI TSINAMDZRISHVILI

Energy has constnatly given the Georgian Government a headache. Since the independence, these problems have haunted all former and present ministers leaving the President restless even in his sleep.

Gas and electricity – these two abstract notions have turned into particular (and insolvable) problem.
This inscrutable problem of whether we will have gas and electricity in winter, has turned into a puzzle for our power engineering specialists. In autumn almost all ministers become similar to players who are ready to press the automatic button.
Or, perhaps, we should express this question otherwise – do we want to have gas and warmth in winter? The answer is simple and not so unexpected! No! Otherwise the many years’ problem would have already been solved.
The epic of several years’ privatisation process of ‘Tbilgas” have ended in a crash. Neither “Sakgas”, nor “Itera”, “A-gas”, “Taha”, “AES” and who knows what other companies, have managed to reach finish in the marathon. Yet, the blue flame in the end of tunnel glows temptingly enough. We do not want the gas to reek of politics but there is no other way out. Unfortunately, no one wishes to make a choice and undertake responsibility. This is how we can estimate the recent process going around “Tbilgas”.
After the successful privatisation process of “Tbilgas”, the Georgian government seemed to find a way out – it resolved to establish a joint enterprise of the companies and “voracious” Itera that claimed for the ownership of “Tbilgas”. The statute capital of “Itera Georgia” was supposed to be 10 thousand laris; reclamation of property would occur on the second stage and the statute capital would increase. The establishment of joint enterprise was one of variants of saving “Tbilgas”. The Georgian party was more interested in its establishment than the Russian one. However, assignment of strategic objects would cause transfer energetic and political levers to the neighbouring country. We can not say with certainty, whether Russian or Eastern gas is more malodorous, but the fact is that money does not stink! It might not be important who will invest capital in “Tbilgas”. The Georgian party should show wisdom and proficiency and evade mistakes during the conclusion of an agreement as it was in “AES”.
– Why was the plan of creating a joint enterprise of “Itera” and “Tbilgas” disappointed? Paradoxical as it may sound, but great amounts of money circulate in the network of this abandoned object. However, this money is in “air”, the way it is with technical and commercial equipment of “Tbilgas”. This might be one of the solutions of this puzzle. Perhaps, it is – these millions of laris do not burn the way we cannot set fire to Tbilisi. Interested officials grow rich due to the insoluble problems of “Tbilgas”.
– One more thing – why was the process of establishing a joint enterprise disappointed? Non-government organisations and oppositional parties have supposedly played an important role in it. Non-government organisations threatened with mass demonstrations and strikes at the time when the establishment of joint enterprise was to pass to the decisive phase and high-rank officials negotiated with “Itera” representatives. Afterwards, acceleration of relations played into the hands of non-government organisations. Taking advantage of a situation is a sort of art though it is not yet clear who has this gift – non-government or government organisations. The non-government organisations demanded that Georgia should not have any ties with “Itera” in the future. In a case of emergency, shares in the joint enterprise might have been distributed in favour of Georgia – 51% belonged to the Georgian government in any case, 49% belonged to “Itera”. “Itera” did not seem to have a wish to agree to these terms. We have nothing to ask for, it said. Thus, the idea of joint enterprise was condoned. Yet, “Itera” is still the only supplier of blue flame for “Tbilgas”, at least, before 2004 or functioning of Baku-Jeikhan pipeline. Therefore, the same hopelessness awaits us in winter – pay money and you will have gas, otherwise you will not have it! The Russian party was not yet deprived of the right to demand its own money (or repayment of “Tbilgas” debt to “Itera”). The government will think of arranging the object before an investor is found. The Tbilisi Municipality is out of patient. The Municipality transferred the shares of the joint stock company to the government. In the middle of October, it transferred 96,05% of shares to the Property Management Ministry. Yet, the idea of the custody of objects with million laris’ debt does not appeal to the Property Management Ministry. It decided to give them to the Ministry of Fuel and Energy thinking that a special branch ministry would take a better care of specific objects. However, neither Mirtskhulava’s “bureau” intends to undertake this responsibility, and it prepares “Tbilgas” for international corporations. Yet, the latter collided with the interests of “Akgasmretsveli” some years ago when there was a right chance for the attraction of foreign investments in gas sector. Vano Zazashvili, Chief of “Saktransgasmretsvi” opposed Gotsiridze and said that the latter prevented him from attracting investors. However, it was many years ago. “Saktransgasmretsvi” was, in fact, abolished, but its chief is considered an author of “Tbilgas” rehabilitation and development. . There are many projects, but budget does not have money for their financing. “Tbilgas” still awaits a rich patron. And all we can do now is to dream – perhaps, gas will be discovered in the centre of a city so that we will have nothing to ask for in the West or the East. But knowing Georgian character, it is possible that this gas will be as lost as it is lost now.