Georgia to resume importing Azeri gasoline

Vano Mtvralashvili, head of the Union of Oil Products Enterprisers, Importers and Consumers told the APA bureau the country will resume importing Azeri gasoline from late January or early February.

He noted Vissol Petroleum Georgia, LUKoil Georgia and Optimum are the leading on the domestic market. Optimum, as the third biggest market leader, paid $14.3mln to the state budget.

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) stopped gasoline exports in late 2006 so as to deliver more straight-run fuel oil to the power stations because amid a row with Gazprom, Azerbaijan had reoriented its power plants to fuel oil which used to run on natural gas.

Kaha Benudukidze, Georgian Minister for Economic Reforms, said suspension of Azeri gasoline imports has no affect on the market as Georgia is importing gasoline from Romania and Bulgaria.