Kakha Kakhishvili, a former Georgian justice minister and member of Parliament, has questioned the government’s decision to fast-track a new mechanism allowing differentiated household gas tariffs based on consumption, calling for transparent calculations ahead of the winter heating season.
Kakhishvili noted that in May, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said a new 20-year gas supply agreement with Azerbaijan would ensure annual deliveries of 500 million cubic meters at a preferential social price, helping maintain existing tariffs. He questioned what had changed by October to make a new tariff mechanism necessary.
Current household gas tariffs in Tbilisi stand at 53.971 tetri per cubic meter for Tbilisi Energy customers and 56.928 tetri for SOCAR Georgia Gas customers.
Kakhishvili warned that higher consumption does not necessarily indicate greater financial capacity, as larger families, pensioners and households with health needs may require more heating. He urged authorities to disclose how many households would retain, pay less or face higher tariffs, and whether family size, health conditions and actual heating needs would be considered.
He stressed that he was not claiming a gas price increase had already been decided, but said the public needed concrete figures before Parliament made a final decision.
