Probable Social Revolt Poses Threat to Georgian State

The Resonance; The Dilis Gazeti

Tariff on electricity will be increased up to 12,45 tetri (0.06 USD) soon. “Increasing the tax resulted in public meetings in Georgia”, the Resonance says. The World Bank consultant in power matters Irakli Kakabadze told the paper that, if not the pressure from the side of President of Georgia a much better project of tariff rising would be admitted. This alternative project is about 4-step tariff supposed to be paid according to the power usage. The Energy Regulating Commission of Georgia will enforce the project by April 1, 2002.

Traditional topic of energy insufficiency is becoming more and more burning, especially when taxes on electricity and correspondingly on gas are increased right at the beginning of upcoming winter, the Dilis Gazeti reports. The paper has published public opinion poll, according to which 89 percent of Georgian population spends its entire savings on survival only.

“The government is interested in social sphere as far as its own social welfare is not threatened”, the paper says. It clearly points out that the Georgian state officials do not care about the fortune of their own people.

The paper talks about probable protest from the side of the population: “While the protest was not very intensive last year (expressed in street blocking and tire burning) no one knows what the social activeness may result in this year”. The paper presumes that probable social revolt poses threat to Georgian state. “Unfortunately, there are no signs of political groups thinking about any preventive measures and of them being interested in settling the situation in the country”, the paper says.