Georgia reported weak energy dependence on Russia 

Georgia is weakly dependent on energy supplies from Russia. This was shared with the deputies of the Georgian Parliament by the head of the National Energy and Water Supply Commission (GNERC) David Narmania.

The report was presented in connection with anti-Russian sanctions, due to which energy supplies may be disrupted.

“For many years, natural gas imports from Russia have not exceeded 10%. We receive up to 90% of natural gas from Azerbaijan,” said the head of GNERC.

He acknowledged that in 2021, the volume of gas supplies from Russia was higher than usual and amounted to 15% of imports. This happened because there was an accident on the gas pipeline in Azerbaijan.

The volume of electricity imports from Russia to Georgia, according to Narmania, is even less. Last year, the Russian Federation supplied about 7% of electricity from the share of imports. This was mainly due to the need to supply separatist Abkhazia during the repair work at the Inguri hydroelectric power station.

The unwillingness of the authorities to abandon the Namakhvani HPP

Refusing to build the Namakhvani HPP would be too much of a luxury for Georgia, said David Narmania, head of the National Energy and Water Supply Commission (GNERC).

Speaking at a parliamentary session, Narmania noted that "Namakhvani HPP should be built." According to him, the country cannot refuse investments of this magnitude, the employment of many people and the prospect of reducing dependence on electricity imports.

The project for the construction of the Namakhvani HPP cascade in the Rioni River gorge in the west of the country provides for the construction of two new HPPs in Georgia with a capacity of 333 MW and 100 MW at once. However, the Turkish company ENKA, which implemented the project, faced mass protests against the construction of the hydroelectric power station. Amid the inaction of the authorities, in September 2020, ENKA notified the government that it would terminate the contract in a month. In January, the company's offices in Georgia were closed.

Narmania believes that the protests that caused the suspension of the project were organised by people who are not interested in the development of the country.

“I hope that this is temporary, and with the wide and active involvement of stakeholders, the construction of the Namakhvani HPP, as well as other medium and large HPPs, will continue. Among them there are really harmless projects from an environmental point of view,” said Narmania.

Meanwhile, the protest over the construction of the Namakhvani hydroelectric power station has been going on for more than 500 days.

New Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili expressed readiness for the meeting but urged activists to ask experts for data on the project's safety, environmental impact, biodiversity, tariffs, economics, and energy security. According to the minister, it is important that the experts could be neutral mediators in the negotiation process.

Papuashvili on attacks on "people of Russian appearance" and capability of harming Russia

Several opposition parties in Georgia and the media have achieved their desired "hysteria" in the country against the citizens of the Russian Federation. Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili told.

He commented on statements that a stream of Russian citizens rushed to Georgia. Moscow was accused of bringing "saboteurs" into the country under the guise of tourists.

“There was hysteria about the entry of Russian citizens into Georgia, as if there were queues at the border, the numbers were specially covered up and this was dramatized. Time passed and everyone calmed down,” Papuashvili said.

He noted that as time passed, it became clear that there were no threats to the inhabitants of Georgia. The only effect that has been achieved is the deterioration of attitudes towards citizens of the Russian Federation who are in the country.

“We saw the result of this - a hostile attitude towards people of Russian appearance. It was also publicly said that there was aggression towards people,” Speaker Papuashvili said.

Papuashvili also pointed out that the People's Defender of Georgia, Nino Lomjaria, reacted to the attacks of foreigners only a week later, as it became known.

Papuashvili: “Georgia is unable to harm Russia”

Georgia does not have the opportunity to cause economic harm to Russia by joining the new sanctions announced after the start of a special operation to ‘de-nazify’ Ukraine. Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili told.

“On the contrary, everyone agrees that Georgia will suffer from this, and our relations with Armenia may also suffer if we close our space [to] Armenian aircraft,” Papuashvili said.

He noted that even US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said the day before that Tbilisi is not required to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation. Papuashvili stated that this remains the final position of the Georgian authorities.