TBILISI, MARCH 10 (RIA NOVOSTI) - Starting on March 15, natural gas supplies to Tbilisi will be halved due to the AO Tbilgazi debts to the Russian company Gazexport, Tbilgazi CEO Nodar Gobianidze told a press conference in Tbilisi on Wednesday, the Novosti-Georgia news agency reports.
"We received a relevant telephone message from the management of Gazexport, OAO Gazprom's subsidiary, supplying natural gas to Tbilisi," Gobianidze said.
The debt of the Tbilisi gas-distribution company to Gazprom totals $7.4 million. In case Tbilgazi promptly transfers $2.5 million to repay the debt, supplies will remain as they were. Now 1.7 million cubic meters of gas is supplied to Tbilisi daily.
"The reason for the debt is the lack of financing from the Georgian government and the Tbilisi City Hall. They are to pay to the company for the gas consumed by the socially unprotected segments of the population, public, health protection and social institutions," Gobianidze said.
