Saakashvili Downplays Concerns over Privatization of Gas Pipes

President Saakashvili announced at a government?s meeting on February 25, that no final decision has been made regarding privatization of country?s pipeline system, however added, that the government ?considers all the possible commercial proposals.?

In his earlier statement, which Saakashvili made in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa on February 20, the President said that Georgia negotiates with Russian energy giant Gazprom over the sale of gas pipelines. This statement triggered the opposition?s fierce criticism.

?Our energy independence is very important. By the way, I can not understand [reasons] of that noisy discussions, which are underway regarding the [plans] to sell pipelines. I want to say, the Georgian government will not do anything that might cause [Georgia?s] dependence on the monopolist and no decisions have been taken yet regarding this [privatization of pipeline system]. But we, of course, consider all the possible commercial proposals, but [these] considerations are based on Georgia?s national interests,? he added.