24 Saati: “ECONOMIC INDICATORS IN PREVENTION OF ETHNIC CONFLICT”
(Economic Press Monitor: November 10, 2005)
Zurab Garakanidze, the economist, calls the implementation of the “Civil Danger” forecasting in the National Security Council in order to provide the economic security.
40% of Georgia’s foreign trade falls on CIS, while major trade partner of the country still is Russia, which supports the uncontrolled territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and practically supplies Georgia with smuggling, the expert declares.
JSC KAZTRANSGAZ PLANS TO INVEST $100M IN JSC TBILGAZ
(Daily News: December 28, 2005)
JSC KazTransGaz plans to invest $100 million in JSC Tbilgaz, Tbilisi gas distributor, Zurab Nogaideli, the Prime Minister, reported at a governmental meeting while commenting on the plans of the Kazakh party to privatize the Georgian company.
The Prime Minister says a memorandum on the Tbilgaz privatization was signed on December 26; the shares will be handed over on February 15 upon the completion of the bankruptcy process of the gas distribution company.
FOR SOME A HOLIDAY FOR SOME …
(Weekly Press Digest: December 25, 2005)
Almost all week has been full of surprises for the country’s leader, president Mikheil Saakashvili. As for the domestic political life, Parliament has probably been the epicenter, as it has not deviated from its traditional course of working too hard in the last days of the year.
PARLIAMENT APPROVES BUDGET 2006
(Daily News: December 23, 2005)
Parliament has approved next year’s budget by 162 votes to 20 today. The revenues and grants of the budget are projected at 3.07 billion lari, while spending - 3.28 billion.
CONFRONTATION BETWEEN NB PRESIDENT AND FINANCE MINISTER ESCALATES
(Daily News: December 22, 2005)
The consideration of monetary policy issues took place in Parliament today amid confrontation between National Bank President Roman Gotsiridze and Finance Minister Alexi Alexishvili.
The conflict arose after the government approved the Finance Ministry’s initiative to refuse to take a 3.5 million EUR soft loan from KfW, the German development bank.
GOVERNMENT REJECTS FISHERS' CRITICISM
(Daily News: December 21, 2005)
The auction by which the right of catching anchovy in Georgia’s Black Sea waters was sold has raised heated debates at a government meeting today. Roman Melina, an independent MP from Poti, was invited to the meeting.
NEXT VERSION OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS
(Daily News: December 21, 2005)
Draft amendments to the budget have come in for criticism at a Parliament’s plenary meeting today. The draft was presented by Finance Minister Alexi Alexishvili.
STATE MINISTER BENDUKIDZE SAYS ARTERIAL GAS PIPELINE MAY BE SOLD
(Daily News: December 20, 2005)
State Minister Kakha Bendukidze says the arterial gas pipeline (which goes via Georgia from the Russian border to the Armenian border) may be sold if Russia offers a “good price”. He says that Gazprom, which has once again showed willingness to acquire the pipeline, has just expressed a “general wish” without specifying dates and a price.
GAZPROM TO SUPPLY GAS TO SOUTH CAUCASIAN STATES FOR $110 PER 1,000 CUBIC M
(Daily News: December 20, 2005)
All states of the Caucasus will receive gas for the same price - $110 per 1,000 cubic m, Alexander Ryazanov, the deputy chief of Russian Gazprom, who arrived in Tbilisi today, said at a news briefing after he met with Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli in the state office.
Currently Gazprom supplies gas to Georgia for $60-65 per 1,000 cubic meters.
PRIME MINISTER PRESENTS PLAN OF PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS TO MPS
(Daily News: December 20, 2005)
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli has introduced to Parliament today the plan of peaceful conflict resolution in the Tskhinvali region. This is a three-stage plan which calls for the demilitarization of the region, economic and social restoration and definition of a political status through negotiations.
ON THE WAY TO PEACE
(Weekly Press Digest: December 18, 2005)
Press reports focused on peaceful initiatives on conflict resolution in Georgia. Their upbeat tone has created the impression of a gleam in the conflict “tunnel”.
TALKS ON GAS SUPPLIES WITH GAZPROM SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK
(Daily News: December 14, 2005)
Alexander Ryazanov, the deputy head of the board of directors of Russian Gazprom, who has been expected to arrive in Tbilisi this week, will visit Georgia on December 20 instead, Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli told journalists after the government meeting today. Georgia and Russia will negotiate a number of issues on gas supplies, including the tariff.
THE U.S. EMBASSY CELEBRATED ITS MOVE TO THE NEW EMBASSY
(Daily News: December 13, 2005)
The U.S. Embassy celebrated its move to the New Embassy Compound today.
FEES FOR UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO BE SPENT ALONG WITH OTHER EXPENSES
(Daily News: December 9, 2005)
Today Parliament has approved amendments, under which after fees from the utilization of natural resources enter the budget they will be spent along with other expenses. The changes will make up for a flaw in the law on “Fees for Utilization of Natural Resources”.
PARLIAMENT PLANS TO APPROVE BUDGET BY THE END OF DECEMBER
(Daily News: December 8, 2005)
Parliament is expected to approve the budget-2006 on December 21-22 due to delays in consideration. Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli says MPs will have two more days to review the draft, while the government will have five days to take account of Parliament’s remarks.
BUDGET FEVER STARTS IN PARLIAMENT
(Daily News: December 6, 2005)
Parliament has taken up the budget-2006 at a plenary meeting today. After Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli reported on main provisions of the budget, officials from ministries and bodies reported on their budgets and responded to MPs’ inquiries.
UPBEAT AND DOWNBEAT SENTIMENTS
(Weekly Press Digest: December 4, 2005)
Information on setting up a democratic forum in Kiev, in which Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was also involved, and Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli’s talks with NATO leaders in Brussels has created a buoyant mood. On the other hand, articles on domestic matters coupled with social conditions in the country provide no cause for optimism.
HEALTH, SOCIAL WELFARE AND LABOR MINISTRY STANDS BY ITS VERSION OF PENSION REFORMS
(Daily News: December 2, 2005)
Members of the Financial and Budgetary Committee and the Sectoral Economy Committee of Parliamentary have backed today the introduction of a package law on pension reforms proposed by the Ministry of Health, Social Welfare and Labor to Parliament. The committees have a number of complaints regarding amendments, which they will declare at the plenary meeting.
MPS SAY TARGET FOR SPENDING PART OF BUDGET NOT MET
(Daily News: December 1, 2005)
MPs raised the questions of the failure to meet the spending target while reviewing the budget implementation for the nine months at the Financial and Budgetary Committee today.
Irakli Kovzanadze, the chief of the committee, said against an increase in the revenue part of the budget, spending in nine months has accounted for around 80% of the projected figure and only 63% of the annual target.
CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TO CANCEL FEES FOR QUARANTINE SERVICES
(Daily News: November 29, 2005)
The Customs Department has come up with legislative amendments, under which a fee for quarantine services will be cancelled in an effort to simplify customs procedures on the border. The current fee is around 26 lari.
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