Opposition Calls for Gazprom Deal Disclosure

The United National Movement (UNM) called for the establishment of a parliamentary investigative commission on the new transit agreement with Gazprom.

The new agreement, with which, Georgia will partially maintain the commodity payment scheme in 2017 and move to full monetary reimbursement in 2018, has generated sharp criticism in Georgia, but the ruling Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia has refused to disclose the agreement details, citing trade secrecy requirements.

UNM said in its February 23 statement, that since “the analysis and disclosure” of the new agreement “directly concerns Georgia’s state security, political and economic interests,” the party will propose to set up a parliamentary investigative commission at the upcoming plenary session.

“It is obvious that the agreement with Gazprom Export contradicts Georgia’s state interests, weakens the country’s energy independence and is unprofitable for Georgia’s state budget,” UNM stated.

“Hence, a well-grounded doubt arises that this contract violates the state security and may serve the interests of some officials,” it added.

According to Parliament’s rules and procedures, an investigative commission can be convened to gather information on wrongdoings committed by “state agencies and public officials, which threaten to Georgia’s security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, or to the [country’s] political, economic and other interests.”

Earlier on February 16, the Parliament’s Economic Policy Committee rejected the UNM-proposed draft parliamentary resolution, which called for the “immediate disclosure of the content of negotiations.”