Saakashvili says decision to stop construction of major HPPs is 'big mistake'

President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili negatively assessed the new government's intention to stop construction of major hydropower plants in Georgia.

"Construction of major HPPs should not stop as this will create energy problems for the country," Saakashvili, who is attending the World Economic Forum in Dubai, told Georgian journalists on Tuesday.

He said the decision to stop construction of major HPPs is a big mistake.

"It will lead to energy problems, electricity shortages and at the same time many thousands of people will lose their jobs. If they do it, that's what the pre-election rhetoric of Georgian Dream which won the parliamentary elections can do and it will be a big mistake," Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili also considered it wrong to suspend implementation of major infrastructure projects including construction of a port at Lazika, which will also deprive Georgia of tens of thousands of jobs.

Georgian Energy Ministry's priority will be construction of small and medium HPPs, Kakha Kaladze, nominated for Georgian Energy Minister, told journalists on Tuesday.

"We will continue construction and will complete the work which was started," Kaladze said. However, he said, there are "many questions" on the construction of major HPPs, about which former authorities of Georgia stated earlier.

Earlier candidate for Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili had made a statement about closing the Lazika project.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili laid the foundation of the new city of Lazika on the Black Sea coast in September. The Georgian president presented a plan of development for the city which should be the main port and centre of Georgia and increase capacity for receiving and sending container loads.

Earlier leader of the Georgian Dream coalition which won the recent parliamentary elections, Bidzina Ivanishvili proposed candidates for ministers in the new Georgian government.

Ivanishvili intends to become prime minister.


/Trend/