Government negligence drives electricity tariff hike, opposition figure

Opposition politician Roman Gotsiridze has blamed the Georgian government for the recent increase in electricity tariffs, calling it a result of “criminal negligence” in the energy sector.

Speaking publicly on Monday, Gotsiridze said the rise was due to outdated hydroelectric infrastructure and insufficient investment in the energy network. “In a country where three billion-dollar hydroelectric plants should have been built, and the energy network and other infrastructure updated, almost everything remains outdated, which increases costs in the sector,” he said.

He also criticized the government’s monetary and credit policies, arguing that rising prices across all goods “inevitably affect” the energy sector and contribute to higher tariffs for consumers.

The Georgian Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission recently approved the increase of household electricity tariffs by five tetri and commercial rates by five to six tetri, effective from the beginning of April.