"For the first time in 33 years": it became known who brought gasoline from Georgia to Abkhazia

The shipment of 300 tons of gasoline across the Ingur Bridge from Georgia to Abkhazia was carried out by Solidus, which has the "status of a special enterprise". This status is assigned to companies by the Revenue Service of Georgia, it gives the legal entity the right to supply goods to the "occupied territories" — The Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The Georgian authorities have not issued any special acts under this deal, the portal "News Georgia" reports.

As the owner of the company, Georgy Arveladze, explained, the government administration confirmed that no additional permission was required from the government.

"Previously, agricultural and food products were supplied, the supply of fuel occurred for the first time… This is the first such transaction in 33 years," Arveladze said.

According to the businessman, gasoline of European origin was purchased on the domestic market of Georgia, and it is intended primarily for the Galsky district of Abkhazia, where the Georgian population lives.

"If we had not imported it, 40 thousand Georgians would have started traveling to Zugdidi with 20-liter cans. Therefore, it was decided that it would be better for me to bring him along with my Abkhaz friends," said the owner of Solidus.

In Tbilisi, a dispute broke out in absentia between the opposition and the ruling party about the scope and purpose of Georgian fuel. Ex-President Mikhail Saakashvili believes that gasoline can be used to supply Russian military bases or redirected to scarce southern regions of the Russian Federation.

Georgian Dream MP Rati Ionatamishvili called such accusations absurd, noting that even if we were talking about 3 thousand tons, it would amount to "0.001% of Russia's annual consumption" and could not affect its military needs.

EADaily reported that on the eve of the Government of Abkhazia commented on the supply of fuel from Georgia. Fuel supplies continue to be carried out from Russia within the contracted volumes. August 11 from Russia received 1,100 tons of gasoline. At the same time, external difficulties affecting the planned shipment schedules continue to persist, the commentary says.

"Taking into account the continuing external difficulties, peak summer demand and prevention of acute fuel shortage, which could adversely affect the vital functions of important social institutions, alternative sources of fuel and lubricants are being considered, since currently, for objective reasons, established sources of fuel and lubricants are experiencing problems, despite the fact that our country is one of the few in which which is allowed to export petroleum products from Russia. Abkhazian participants of the fuel market faced difficulties. They managed to find an opportunity to make a delivery from the territory of Georgia. In order to alleviate the situation, it was decided not to prevent imports from Georgia automobile fuel. This was also the case in other crisis situations. In the post-war 90s, fuel was also supplied from the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia to Georgia," the Abkhaz government said in a comment.

The authorities of Abkhazia "will not prevent the import of fuels and lubricants to the republic from other countries, and are ready to assist in this to the participants of the fuel market."