Fuel was delivered to occupied Abkhazia by the company Solidus, whose authorization to operate in the occupied territories was extended by an order from Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on August 11. This was reported by the Georgian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, whose journalists spoke with the company’s owner, Giorgi Arveladze.
According to the businessman, this involves approximately 300 tons of fuel that his company supplied to “Abkhazian partners” across the Enguri Bridge. Arveladze claims the fuel was intended “mainly for the population of the Gali district, for local gas stations.”
“If we hadn’t brought it in, 40,000 Georgians would have started crossing into Zugdidi carrying 20-liter canisters. So it was decided that it would be better for me to bring it in together with my Abkhazian friends.”
Arveladze also asserts that the gasoline delivered to Abkhazia arrived in the country from Europe and was purchased by his company in Georgia. He noted that “until now, agricultural and food products were delivered, while fuel was delivered for the first time.”
“I am working together with Abkhazian partners. This is a bridge between Georgian and Abkhazian business,” the entrepreneur stated.
Solidus holds the status of a special enterprise — the authorization to conduct activities in the occupied territories is granted by the Revenue Service of Georgia. The government stated that there was no need to issue a new legal act regarding the fuel delivery to Abkhazia, as the supply was carried out by a company that already possessed “special enterprise status.”
The right to operate in the occupied regions was extended for Solidus for a period of three months by a government decree on August 11.
It was on this day that information about the fuel shipments to Abkhazia emerged. Shortly after the reports appeared in the media, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed them, assuring that everything was conducted in compliance with the Law on Occupied Territories.
Nevertheless, part of the opposition expressed concern that the fuel delivered to Abkhazia might actually have been intended for Russia. However, Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, assured that the 3,000 tons sent to the occupied region could not have been re-exported to the Russian Federation, as this volume accounts for a mere 0.001% of Russian consumption.