Gov't to start constructions of Anaklia Port with state participation, PM Gharibashvili announces
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili announced at the government meeting that based on the decision of the Government of Georgia, Anaklia port will be built with state participation. According to Irakli Gharibashvili, the state will own 51% and tenders will be announced for the rest.
"According to our decision, the port of Anaklia will be built with the participation of the state, where the state will own 51%, and we will announce an international competition for the rest and select partner companies.
This project is abandoned, the place is desolate. They turned the place into a nest of dust. Therefore, it is categorically unacceptable. We should urgently select international partner companies and we should also start investing in this project. This project will be implemented with our participation, the state will implement this project together with foreign or other companies," said the Prime Minister.
Gharibashvili added that he has already instructed the Ministry of Economy to prepare a new invitation to tenders, for the construction of Anaklia port.
"Everyone is aware that the decision to build this port was made back in 2016. Before that, even during my first premiership, we openly talked about this issue, we used all tribunes and platforms for this, including from the UN tribune, we stated that our stated interest and priority is the construction of this port.
In 2016, a contract was signed, an investor was selected, who failed to fulfill this obligation, meaning, he did not build this port. Under this commitment, we were to receive the first ships in 2020. The government postponed the obligation several times, three, four times, and despite this, the investor was still unable to attract investments. According to my information, Mr. Khazaradze and his partner, Japaridze, have spent three million dollars.
The remaining amounts, approximately 20-25 million have been attracted from investors. Instead, they demanded a guarantee of cargo from the government. The land was ours, we had to hand it over and we did. They demanded the construction of roads and railways. The government had to spend hundreds of millions and not get anything in return, that is, in fact, it was a gift to Mr. Khazaradze.
After dropping this project after 4-5 years and failing to implement it, these people decided to rob our country and why? They sued the country for arbitrage and today they are disputing 1.5 billion dollars. Can you imagine what is happening? In 5 years, a person failed to fulfill any of his obligations, abandoned the project, did not build a port, and today he owes the country and our people 1.5 billion," said Irakli Gharibashvili.
The Prime Minister accused Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze of creating a 'classic robbery scheme' and said that their intentions of building the Anaklia port were never 'sincere'. According to Irakli Gharibashvili their intention was "the idea of getting rich and robbery."
