Georgian gov’t to cover utility fees for certain citizens

The Georgian government will cover utility fees, including sanitary service, gas and water bills for three months (March, April, May) for households which consume less than 200 kWh of electricity and 200 cubic meters of natural gas per month.

The electricity concession applies to 1.2 million households, while the natural gas concession applies to 671,000 families. 

We understand that this aid is not enough. Of course we understand that we must identify those individuals who have lost their jobs, after that we will provide direct assistance”, said Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia earlier today.

A total of 2 billion GEL (about $0.60b/€0.55b) has been allocated to assist the Georgian economy in this period caused by the coronavirus global crisis.

Gakharia also mentioned that today it is difficult to predict what kind of influence the global coronavirus crisis will have on the Georgian economy, but that ‘it is already obvious that the economic growth rate will not be the same as was projected at the beginning of 2020’.

The number of coronavirus cases has reached 115 in Georgia, including 22 patients who have recovered. 

5,106 are under quarantine in Georgia and 294 others are in hospitals.