Giving Enguri power station to the Russians post war is a paradox

Some time ago the Georgian Government signed an agreement which gave Russian state energy company Rao Ees the operational management rights to the Enguri hydro power station. This caused a scandal in Georgia as the political opposition saw this as economic surrender to Russia after the militarily defeat.

Shalva Lazariashvili, Advisor on Security Issues for Nino Burjanadze’s party the Democratic Movement for United Georgia, states that the ruling authorities have acted against the interests of the Georgian people. He also highlights the inconsistency of signing a bilateral charter with the USA on the one hand while giving Enguri to Russia on the other. He considers the handover a crime against Georgia’s statehood and demands that those who did this be taken to court.

Georgian Foreign Minister Vashadze states that no interstate relations with Russia should be entered into while Russian occupation forces are still on Georgian territory. The decision of the Georgian Government to hand Enguri over to Russian management is therefore completely incomprehensible.