Kakhi Kaladze: Saakashvili's former residence illegally used gas

Georgia’s former administration has been found guilty of illegally using natural gas at the residence of ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili.

A Ministry of Energy inquiry revealed the ex-President’s Avlabari residence had illegally used the gas supply for years. However the fine resulting from this incident will be imposed on the current Government.

When the incident came to light on January 17, officials claimed the illegal gas use amounted to thousands of dollars of natural gas.

Speaking live on Imedi TV, Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said the fine for the illegal consumption of the natural gas by the former president’s residence would be imposed on the current Government.

"I do not know whether Saakashvili knew that his administration was stealing the natural gas but the reality is that the restaurant, which was feeding the stuff off his residence, was functioning in a wrong way,” Kaladze said.

He said, the investigation was still being carried out with experts from KazTransGas.

Accordingly, the restaurant will soon be measured and found out how much gas it would have illegally consumed. Once this has happened, a fine will be imposed on the Government in accordance with the damages, Kaladze said.

On January 17, a special press conference led by deputy Energy Minister Ilia Eloshvili and KazTransGas company representatives revealed the ex-Presidents Avlabari residence had illegally used the gas supply for years.

At the time a former Administration official adamantly disputed the facts and said the case was "nonsense".