Georgian energy expert Murman Margvelashvili says government agencies should provide a clear explanation of developments in the country’s gas sector, particularly amid growing imports of Russian gas and the continued secrecy surrounding gas supply contracts with both Russia and Azerbaijan.
Speaking to BMG, Margvelashvili argued that the lack of transparency fuels public concerns and raises questions about whether current agreements serve Georgia’s interests. He pointed to the previous decision to replace Georgia’s right to receive 10% of transit gas in-kind from Russia with monetary compensation, describing it as an example of a poorly negotiated deal that may have cost the country significantly.
“Without transparency, it is impossible to assess whether these contracts are beneficial. We have seen cases in the past where agreements presented as successes ultimately proved costly,” he said.
According to Margvelashvili, the most effective solution would be the liberalisation of Georgia’s gas market, a step also required under European energy regulations. He suggested that resistance to liberalisation may be linked to a reluctance to expose the details of existing contracts to public scrutiny.
The expert added that Georgia lacks a publicly available strategic assessment of energy security risks, leaving discussions about dependence on Russian and Azerbaijani gas at the level of personal opinions rather than state policy. He argued that transparent, market-based mechanisms would make decision-making more accountable and help limit the use of gas supplies as a political tool, even in a market dominated by two major suppliers.
