Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said at a news briefing on April 5 that the government will temporarily grant wine producing companies tax exemptions, amid Russia’s ban on import of Georgian wine.
 
“Payment of budgetary funds by the wine producers will be postponed for three months - that will give them certain financial privileges in order to direct more money towards gaining access to new markets,” the Prime Minister said after the government’s session.
 
He also said that in April the government’s priority will be solving the problem of Russia’s ban on the import of Georgian wine.
 
“We are also working to increase our export potential to the Ukrainian and Kazakh markets,” PM Nogaideli said. The Prime Minister said that the Russian companies importing Georgian and Moldovan wines intend to sue the Russian chief sanitary inspector and demand the cancellation of his instructions on banning the import of wines and spirits from Georgia and Moldova.
 
Niko Lekishvili, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Sector Economy, speculated that the Russian authorities’ decision could be the result of a strong lobby by those Russian companies which are engaged in importing wines from South America.
 
“In addition to the fact that it is a political issue and needs political settlement, much work is to be done to ensure that those companies which are importing wines from Chile and Argentine do not oppress our companies,” Niko Lekishvili said on April 5.