Former Georgian Economy Minister Giorgi Kobulia welcomes the removal of intermediary companies from electricity imports from Azerbaijan, saying similar changes are needed in other sectors. Speaking on TV-program Analitics, he recalled proposing the move six years ago but being told it would not happen.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced on October 7 that Georgia would import electricity from Azerbaijan and other countries without intermediaries, potentially saving the state several million GEL annually.
Kobulia said the decision benefits the country but questioned whether it signals systemic change, noting that intermediaries have also been removed from Georgian Railway and the postal service, while concerns remain over arrangements involving Russia. He urged the government to review sectors requiring state licenses and permits, including mining and construction, where similar problems could exist.
“I absolutely welcome what is happening. I don’t know whether this is just rhetoric, but removing intermediaries from electricity imports from Azerbaijan benefits our country regardless of the reason,” Kobulia said. “I am positively astonished, given the mentality of the current government, that they arrived at this idea. I was talking about it six years ago.”
He also called for more transparent political financing and genuine competition, arguing that businesses should operate without expecting special conditions from the state. Kobulia said public institutions have sufficient expertise to negotiate electricity supply contracts directly, adding that such agreements are not particularly complicated.
