Rompetrol donates GEL 1 million

The Rompetrol Group has donated 1 million GEL to the refugee fund account at TBC Bank, the international Chamber of Commerce announced on September 30. “The Rompetrol group is here today to show support to the people of Georgia in the difficult situation they are passing through,” founder and CEO of the Rompetrol Group Dinu Patriciu told journalists at a Business Mixer at Tbilisi Marriot Hotel, attended by major business community representatives.

Romanian company Rompetrol has been doing business in Georgia for two years and has opened 30 petrol stations all over the country. Dinu Patriciu said the group is planning further investments in Georgia, not only in fuel but also in other fields.

“Even now, on my first visit to Georgia, I realize that Georgia is a success story. I think this is the place where you can do business without government interference. I am glad to see this, because there are not many places where you have this. I think it is the right moment for all the friends of Georgia to come here,” Patriciu said. “We will invest in other fields throughout Georgia, because I think Georgia is the right place to do so,” he added.

The Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, Fady Asly, stressed the importance of foreign investment in Georgia and thanked Rompetrol for its plan to invest more in Georgia. “This is a clear message to investors from all over the world that Georgia is more than ever a very attractive destination for businesses. From the investment point of view this is the best time” said Asly.

Deputy Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze, who also attended the event, thanked the businessmen for their support and said that the Government would carry on promoting business through implementing a more liberal economic system.

“We appreciate your being here in this very difficult time for Georgia. You will be backed by the Georgian Government with even more liberal reforms. We have made huge progress according to the World Bank report but we are not satisfied with this alone. We have a long and difficult way to go until we look like a normal EU country. Investments in this country can help us to get closer to achieving our goals” and eventually becoming a nice, small and attractive place, Baramidze said.

Mamuka Khazaradze, Chief Executive of the TBC Group, which has established a special fund for refugees, said the Rompetrol contribution would make a huge difference to the IDPs. “This fund, with your efforts, will do a great job for the people who fled the conflict,” Khazaradze said.