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Niko Orvelashvili: Georgia Turned Out the Only Idiotic Exception in the Field of Energetic Independence

January 13, 2009

13.01.09 Medianews

 Niko Orvelashvili

Niko Orvelashvili, independent expert of economy, categorically opposes assignment of the Enguri Hydro Electro Station to Russian Company “Inter RAO” for ten years; based on the agreement the Russian company will acquire the right of the management of the hydro electro station. Memorandum signed between Georgia and this company on December 28, 2008 is idiotism and stupid action according to Orvelashvili’s assessment. News Agency “Medianews” interviewed Niko Orvelashvili regarding the issue.

 

-When the entire Europe and all respectful state is eager to gain energetic independence from Russia, Georgia turned out the only idiotic exception whose government could not think of anything better but assigning the axis of Georgian energetic system to Russia; this station created basis for energetic independence for Georgia.

-Besides that the agreement was signed for 10 years…
-who can guess what that 10 years means in reality. By the way, a serious survey was carried out in Britain: what does one minute mean when a woman says it? And the survey showed that 1 minute is equal to 23 minutes for a woman. Thus, we cannot predict how many years Russians mean behind 10 years.

-What is the way out?
-There is the only way out. Everybody, the whole nation, real supporters of Georgia – Brussels, Paris, Strasbourg or Geneva – should speak up and stop this devastating step of Georgia because the agreement has not been signed yet. It is memorandum between Khetaguri (Ministry of Energy of Georgia) and “Inter RAO”.

-Could Khetaguri make similar decision alone?

-It is natural that Khetaguri could not do anything without permission from Saakashvili and could not sign any document. It is one more confirmation of the assumption that Saakashvili and Georgia are completely incompatible with each other. Saakashvili is ready to sell the entire land and national wealth in order to prolong his presidency in Georgia.

-Khetaguri stated that electricity supply in Abkhazian territory will be controlled and electricity expenditures will be reimbursed under the memorandum.  

-No, it is not so, just the opposite. The bitterest reality is that Russia wants to officially register military loot on it. The most precious pillage for them is “Enguri Hydro Electro Station”. The HES is not only valuable and expensive, but it is very important for the Caucasus region. The power which controls Enguri HES can control entire energetic system of Georgia as well as economy and policy of the country.

How could Russians persuade Saakashvili to agree on it? Today, Saakashvili has many obscure links with Russia and he is scared. Fans of the president can shout loudly that “Misha Is Cool” but his braveness and perfectness was very well seen during his visit to Gori together with Bernard Kushner, French Foreign Minister. It was not too difficult to scare Misha Saakashvili. Maybe, Russians slightly scared Georgian president and consequently, he ordered Khetaguri to give Enguri Hess to them as a gift. It is stupidity and nothing more. How can the HES be still ours when they have sold it? They can cheat little children with those lies.

-That means, Abkhazian factor was ignored in this agreement?

-One more tragic point that I see in this agreement is: Enguri Hydro Electro Station was final economical entity and Georgian-Abkhazian union that worked very well. Important human resources worked there in the face of Abkhazian and Georgian colleagues. It was a model of how cooperation could restore relationship between Georgians and Abkhazians. The price of that hope was just 40 percent of the electricity that was used by Abkhazians from the HES but did not pay for it. Anyway, it was worth it, because it demonstrated our entity. And what is now? Russians promised to pay money for 40 percent, so Russia purchases Abkhazian share of the HES. The model of Georgian-Abkhazian relationship is collapsing.

-Is this memorandum result of August war?

-Of course it is. The aim and function of each state are to gain energetic independence. 80 percent of the electricity supply for Georgian population was locally provided and Enguri Hydro Electro Station played the biggest role in it. However, we assigned this important entity to occupant state.

-The memorandum states that Georgians and Russians will control the HES together. Besides that chairperson of the Council of Supervisors will be Georgian.

-Well, Vardiko Nadibaidze, former defense minister of Georgia when Shevardnadze was in office, also had Georgian name but every Georgian remembers his “patriotic” deeds to our country.

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