The gas distribution company in Tbilisi, owned by the Kazakh state-run KazTransGaz, is currently undergoing talks with the Russian giant Gazprom to negotiate gas price for 2007.

“It is unknown yet whether price on gas will increase… We expect to complete the talks by mid-December,” Eka Saria, a spokesperson for KazTransGaz-Tbilisi, told Civil Georgia on October 27.

She said that it has already been agreed that starting from 2007 KazTransGaz-Tbilisi will import 450 million cubic meters of gas – the amount needed to supply consumers in Tbilisi for one year.
 
Russia increased gas price for Georgia from USD 60 to USD 110 in the beginning of 2006.

A further doubling of gas prices will most likely have a negative effect on economic growth for the coming year.