Page 48 - GEORptDec20

9.1.5 ​Infrastructure and construction sector news
Anaklia port investor accuses Georgian government of links to controversial interests in developing rival port Poti
EBRD lends €5mn to Georgian ski resort Bakuriani to improve public transport and other services
Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC), which saw its contract to develop a $2.5bn deep-water port in Anaklia on Georgia’s Black Sea coast terminated earlier this year by the government, has in a public statement​ accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of supporting the development of a rival port in Poti because of private interests held by some of its politicians.
The statement released by ADC comes after the operator of Poti Sea Port, APM Terminals Poti (APMT), and Poti New Terminals Corporation (PNTC), announced​ that they had signed an agreement for the joint development of the dry and bulk cargo facility on the northern side of the Black Sea port, where a major expansion project—sometimes referred to as a new port—is being planned.
According to APTM, ​a construction permit​ was issued by the Georgian authorities for the first stage of the so-called deep-water port at Poti. Interestingly, the permit was issued on March 27 this year, amid the toughest stage of the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown after previous documents claimed by APTM as entitling it to build the port were cancelled by Georgian authorities last year.
According to ADC, recent statements made by the government around the Poti port indicate that “they have turned their backs on the Anaklia deep-water port project and now support the Poti port,” which would be a situation contradicting statements made by the government in the past.
At the same time, the ADC statement mentions alleged business interests of people close to oligarch and Georgian Dream party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili as regards the Poti port.
Poti port is not an alternative to the proposed Anaklia deep-water port, ADC argued.
“The decision to develop Anaklia was made in 2013, after the government hired a consortium of international experts to compare different opportunities for the development of deep-water ports in Georgia. Anaklia was selected for a number of advantages, including the geo-technical conditions of the area, financial feasibility and, most importantly, the significant economic, social and geopolitical impact that the project will have, both in the Abkhaz region and throughout the country,” according to ADC’s statement.
Bakuriani, a village and popular skiing resort in the Borjomi district of central Georgia, has borrowed €5mn from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to improve its public transport and public services.
The financing will help in the acquisition of street cleaning vehicles, snow removal and waste collection, as as in the purchase of multi-purpose trucks and 10 buses.
Bakuriani is one of the most visited mountain and ski resorts in Georgia. It is famous for its climate and natural environment.
“This project will help to improve the quality of municipal services and safety measures in an important resort town. Improving Georgia’s municipal infrastructure, especially in the regions, is of paramount importance for the EBRD. The project will also help promote gender equality across the workforce,” said Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD regional director for the Caucasus.
48​ GEORGIA Country Report ​December 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com