The Georgian side again doesn’t agree with Gazprom’s position on paying money compensation to Tbilisi for the transit of Russian gas to Armenia: It wants to keep getting 10 percent of gas from transit in the future as well. 

Georgian Deputy PM Kakha Kaladze, who is also the country’s Energy Minister, stated the aforementioned today, RIA Novosti reports.

The main gas importer to Russia is Azerbaijan, but Georgia gets 10 percent of the entire volume of Russian gas supplies to Armenian as a payment for its transit.

The country hasn’t purchased Russian gas since 2007. 

“As to the talks with Gazprom, the Georgian side has laid down the mentioned conditions so that Georgia again remains with the previous terms of contract, i.e. gets 10 percent of natural gas from the transit of Russian gas,” Kaladze said.

The Georgian Energy Ministry and Gazprom representatives hold regular meetings to agree on the new contract since the previous onе has expired.

Kaladze earlier informed that Gazprom wants to pay Georgia monetary compensation for the transit, as well as that the sides discuss the issue of receiving additional volumes of gas by Georgia because of the increased deficit of the “blue fuel” in the country.

However, it became known on Friday that Azerbaijan will supply to Georgia additional 500 mln cu m of gas annually.

“As a result of the agreement with Azerbaijan, Georgia will be provided with sufficient amount of natural gas during coming years,” Kaladze added.