Georgian Restaurateurs Association: ‘increasing natural gas tariff is sadism when business is on the verge of collapse’

Tbilisi Energy gas supply company named the recent fluctuation of the national currency as the reason behind the price as it buys natural gas in US dollars but provides it to consumers at a fixed price in GEL. Photo: Agenda.ge/Alavidze Nino.

Agenda.ge, 02 Dec 2020 - 15:02, Tbilisi,Georgia

Vice President of the Georgian Restaurateurs Association Shota Burjanadze has responded to Tbilisi Energy gas supply company’s decision to increase the natural gas tariff, and stated that the decision is ‘sadism when business is on the verge of collapse’.

Burjanadze noted that increasing the price of natural gas for commercial consumption will inevitably lead to higher product prices.

Tbilisi Energy gas supply company announced yesterday that the price will increase from current 0.86 tetris to 1.10 tetris starting January, however no changes will apply to household consumption, the tariff for which is 0.46 tetris.

When the natural gas tariff will be 30 percent more expensive than before, it is unbelievable for gas-dependent companies not to increase product prices... When the number of unemployed individuals has increased unprecedentedly and business is on the verge of collapse, such a decision can be called sadism”, said Burjanadze.

Tbilisi Energy gas supply company named the recent fluctuation of the national currency as the reason behind the price as it buys natural gas in US dollars but provides it to consumers at a fixed price in GEL.

The company said it faces difficulties in accumulating enough financial resources to buy the necessary gas for the system.