In an interview with the daily 24 Saati (24 Hours), published on January 12, MP Levan Berdzenishvili, one of the leaders of the opposition Republican Party, said that State Minister in charge of economic reforms Kakha Bendukidze is a key lobbyist in the government who is desperately trying to make the privatization of the country?s trunk gas pipeline to the Russian energy giant Gazprom a reality.
?[Kakha Bendukidze] is a person who plays a special role in this process and it seems that he is assigned this task from Russia. It is clear that this man is an enemy, a Russian agent,? MP Berdzenishvili said.
In December, Georgian authorities hinted they might consider selling the major gas pipeline network to Gazprom. The U.S. has called on Georgia to take a cautious approach to this issue. State Minister Bendukidze said on December 28 that Tbilisi ?should listen less to foreign experts.?
But Georgian Economy Minister Irakli Chogovadze said on January 9 that Georgia will take into consideration U.S. interests in respect to the possible privatization of the country?s gas pipeline system.
MP Levan Berdzenishvili said in the interview with the Georgian daily that ?President Saakashvili is just playing? with the gas pipeline issue.
?He warns the U.S. that he will become more inclined towards Russia and demands more support from the U.S. This is just a game ? a policy of balancing, which I do not think is a wise policy,? he added.
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