British Mediterranean Airways Executive Held Talks with State Minister

(Tbilisi. April 2, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Chief Executive of British Mediterranean Airways Des Hetherington met Georgian State Minister Avtandil Jorbenadze today to settle his company’s disputes with the Georgian authorities. 

British ambassador in Georgia Deborah Barnes Jones also participated in the meeting with the Georgian State Minister.

From March 30 the British Mediterranean Airways, a franchise partner of the British Airways, reduced its flights between London and Tbilisi from three to two in week.

From April 15 the company’s flight rights will be terminated, according to the Georgian Civil Aviation Administration’s decision, which followed Georgian Parliament’s decree saying “tax breaks, enjoyed by the British and Turkish air companies lack legal grounds”.

After the meeting with Georgian State Minister Chief Executive of the British Mediterranean Airways told the reporters that the company is ready to regulate legal base in order to continue operating on the Georgian market.

According to the October 9, 1999 decree of the President of Georgia, when a foreign company operates the air route not occupied by any Georgian company, it has to compensate to the Georgian flagship carrier.

However the British Mediterranean Airways denies that the company owes the country, as the Georgian authorities claim, 13 million Lari (approximately USD 6,1 million).

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