Daily News

IN THIS ISSUE:

The US delegation led by Lynn Pascoe, the deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs of the US Department of State, met with representatives of the provisional government of Georgia in Tbilisi today.

Pascoe told journalists after the meeting the US was ready to support Georgia, including financially.

Donna Dowsett-Coirolo, the World Bank Country Director for Georgia and the newly appointed Country Manager Roy Southworth, who are visiting Tbilisi, will meet with the provisional government of the country to discuss the ways in which the World Bank can render its assistance to the country.Today Donna Dowsett-Coirolo and Roy Southworth met with Georgian Finance Minister Zurab Nogaideli and the president of the National Bank Irakli Managadze.

According to the NB, Dowsett-Coirolo said the World Bank had been pleased with the monetary policy conducted in Georgia.

Shalva Natelashvili, head of Laborists, considers forthcoming January 4 presidential election illegal and does not intend to participate in it.

Natelashvili told a news briefing today, as a result of the elections, which will be “rigged and prove destructive for the country”, “terrorist dictate” will be established.

Rustavi-2, a TV company, reported in the morning today on the visit of Boris Berezovsky, a Russian oligarch, to Tbilisi. He spent there five hours from midnight to 5 a.m. on December 3 and met with Badri Patarkatsishvili, a businessman.

In November, the National Bank (NB) gave the Finance Ministry 24.87 million lari in credits to cover the deficit of the central budget. At the same time on November 25, the bank disbursed 3 million and 4.29 million (this sum is covered) on November 26.

In November during trading at Tbilisi Interbank Currency Exchange, the biggest mount of dollars was purchased by Kavkasioni, Procreditbank and United Georgian Bank, and sold by TBC-Bank, Cartu and United Georgian Bank.

At the same time, 12 banks did participate in neither purchasing nor selling currency.

The National Energy Regulation Commission has retained in Ajara a differential consumer tariff, introduced by the request of the Ajara energy distribution company.

The tariff is 8.1 tetri when the consumption level is up to 70 kWh, 8.49 tetri when the consumption is from 71 to 150 kWh, and 9 tetri – over 150 kWh.

Kutaisi energy distributor KELASI, is going go leave United Distribution Energy Company made up of eight regional energy companies.

However, United Energy Company as well as the Ministry of Fuel and Energy are against this intention.

Today National Energy Regulation Commission decided on extending the electricity generation license of TbilGRES (which includes three not privatized energy blocs of the basic thermal power station of Tbilisi) for five years.

TbilGRES license was due in April, 2003.