Relationship with Azerbaijan dictates Georgia’s benzine quality

In most developed countries the old Euro 1 standard benzine is forbidden. These are currently switching from the more advanced Euro 4 standard to the even better Euro 5 standard. Georgia however still uses Euro 1 standard benzine. A move to Euro 2 standard should have begun in 2009 and been completed by January 1, 2011, but the Georgian Government has delayed this process.

Georgian analysts explain that the reason for this delay is that Georgia mainly uses Azeri oil products and this country has not adopted Euro 2 standard. There are other reasons too, chief among them being that Azeri fuel is cheap and Azerbaijan is Georgia’s strategic partner.

There is another obstacle. The cars on Georgian roads are mostly second hand and imported from Europe, the US or Japan. They generally date from 1990-99 and were designed for Euro 1 standard benzine. Only around 30% of cars running in Georgia are less than 10 years old.