Member Info for Looed

According to the Minister of Economy, Natia Turnava, the company is ready to return to the negotiating table with Frontera, but for that it is necessary for the company to stop the "useless public campaign". According to the Minister, the company has returned 99% of the license area, but will be given the opportunity to work on the remaining area.

"According to the decision of the International Arbitration, we have received a positive response to all issues raised by the Georgian side, and this is confirmed by the fact that 99% of its license area has been returned to state ownership. Nevertheless, we are ready for a positive dialogue.

The company Frotner will be given the opportunity to continue its activities within the framework of the license area left on the territory of Georgia, which it has today. We are ready and flexible to talk about deadlines, conditions, "he said.

In addition, Turnava noted that the company OMV Petrom is entering Georgia, which will start searching for and extracting oil and gas on the Black Sea. According to Turnava, the company won the tender of the Oil and Gas Agency on June 22.

https://on.ge/story/58689-???????-?????????-?????????-??????????????-??????-????????-??-??????????-?????????????-??????????

Not sure if its this one -

"An open international tender has been announced by the State Agency of Oil and Gas for a license to conduct a search for oil and gas on the country’s Black Sea shelf, where currently no companies are operating.

The tender was announced on January 15, 2020 for two sections of Georgia’s Black Sea shell zone.
The area of the second license block is 5,282 square kilometres, while the area of the third license block is 3,468 square kilometres.

The agency will receive applications until 6 p.m, on April 20, 2020."

There is a map on the page -https://agenda.ge/en/news/2020/136 and looks to be Block II & III on the map.

I think they will spin anything "western" as a way to refute the FRR position, bonus points for them that this was a O&G outfit.

"According to the Minister of Economy, Natia Turnava, the company OMV Petrom is entering Georgia, which will start searching for and extracting oil and gas on the Black Sea. According to Turnava, the company won the tender of the Oil and Gas Agency on June 22.

"OMV Petrom is a member of the OMV Group of Companies. The OMV Group of Companies is the largest giant in the field of oil extraction and refining. It is the Austrian group, number two in the Forbes rankings among Austrian companies and No. 10 in Europe among oil companies," he said.

According to the Minister, this is proof that there is a "transparent business environment" in the country for oil and gas companies.

We would like to remind you that until now the oil and gas extraction works in Georgia were carried out by the company Frontera, with which the state had a dispute in the Arbitration Court, after which the contract was terminated."

https://on.ge/story/58681-???????-?????????-??-?????-???????-??-?????????-???????????-????????-omv-petrom-?????????

Morning toatie - I know what you mean but about 99% of the translation comes out as rubbish such as "a salary the nemeth willowy terrible abyss process" and stuff like that. I think the interview is too fast for the software to keep up with so it cannot make an accurate translation. Thanks anyway mate.

Arsenal221 - yes I agree, these longer interviews should allow for more detailed discussions rather than sound bites. Hopefully soon we get a round table type thing with FRR and GOGC once the meeting - if real - takes place.

Due to the growing number of projects some of the translations may already be superseded by more recent events once we get them back, so need to keep that in mind.

This will be due latest 28/06

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vhio3tzMsqM

Pt.2

Our desire to join you in the brotherhood of free, Western nations is born of a simple historical reality. Georgia has suffered in recent centuries, painful oppression and suppression. Freedom, democracy, prosperity: these are not merely abstract ideas. To Georgians, including generations still alive today, they were dreams that endured through the nightmare of Soviet dictatorship.

Now, having made so much progress since 1991, we have another opportunity to take a major leap forward. We can ensure that no future generation of Georgians will face the loss of democracy, as our forefathers did.

Our Western partners have an important role to play in the coming days. Regrettably, some politicians in Tbilisi are focused more on holding the country to ransom, rather than rising to the moment. This includes some opposition parties threatening to withhold support for the reform unless their subjective demands are met.

As a government we are committed to pursuing a mature and inclusive approach to achieve the ultimate goal that we have set for ourselves. However, in the face of a concerted effort to sabotage the essential reform, support from Georgia’s international friends is needed.

The European and American Embassies in Tbilisi have called for “all sides to fully implement the agreement in both letter and spirit and to play their part to ensure the successful adoption of the constitutional amendments and the election reform legislation”.

As Speaker, I agree wholeheartedly. Since 4th June, I have led a (virtual) consultation process between Members of Parliament and the Georgian public, to answer questions and hear their views. It is clear that the reform has overwhelming support amongst the public.

The longer-term goal of applying for membership of the EU and NATO has similar levels of support: 80 per cent of Georgians approve of these goals.

This electoral reform therefore has the support of the Georgian people; the United States; and the European Union. It is to be hoped that the opposition parties will now rise to meet the seriousness of the moment, and abandon their political game-playing. They must now join with Georgian Dream in passing a valuable reform that is essential for our future.

This month could mark a new chapter, as 3.7m people in Georgia take another bold step away from the dark history of autocracy and oppression and towards a bright future as one of the free, democratic nations of the Western world.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/eastern-europe/opinion/georgia-votes-on-turning-west-not-east/

Pt.1

Despite the Russian occupation, COVID-19 and the economic recession in the world, Georgia continues to strengthen its democracy – the government is currently preparing for Parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2020, writes Archil Talakvadze.

Archil Talakvadze is the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia.

Building wider consensus around the election system, Parliamentary legislation, voting, counting and the other elements needed to ensure free and fair elections does not always move speedily.

Development of democracy takes time in every society – The United States’ democracy continues to develop over 200 years after its founding; Britain’s Parliamentary democracy has evolved over even longer.

For young democracies, such as Georgia – thrust into the world as an independent nation again in 1991 at the end of the USSR – few issues are as important as ensuring that our democratic development continues, and accelerates, as we continue our push towards full membership of the free, Western, democratic world.

The next 14 days will mark one of the most important democratic advances in modern Georgian history, as our Parliament votes on a revision of the Constitution to introduce a new Electoral Reform.

The reform will further entrench proportional, representative Parliamentary democracy as the foundation for Georgia’s future development – the agreement was facilitated by the US State Department and the EU Commission, and a commitment to implement the reforms was signed on 8th March in Tbilisi by both the government and the major opposition parties.

The new electoral system is valuable in and of itself, because it implements a better, fairer and more proportional electoral system. This will be in place ahead of the Parliamentary elections in October this year.

However, it is also valuable for another reason – and this, too, is crucial for Georgia’s future and emphasizes the importance of the vote in Parliament over the coming days. The reform is a major milestone in Georgia’s journey towards full membership of the Western alliance of free nations.

This is the goal of my party, Georgian Dream, and our agenda for government. The UK’s strength as a democracy lies not only in systems and institutions, but also in its network and alliances of like-minded free nations. It is that to which we aspire.

Under Georgian Dream, we have become only the second non-NATO country accepted into the NATO-endorsed MISP cybersecurity platform. Georgia contributes the largest number of troops, per capita, to the NATO Mission in Afghanistan. We work closely with UK, US and EU counterparts on exposing and combating Russian disinformation campaigns and cybersecurity attacks.

Thanks MadP, as someone who refers to it on a regular basis very much appreciated.

Hi DomFok - Not sure why, but I can only open FaceBook links on my phone not computer, and its a pain to share and copy to the translation platform from a phone. If at all possible, can you go into your feed and post from the original source instead ? This only applies to items you think suitable for translating. Hope that's OK. Thanks!

Pt.3 (and final part)

J2 - Of course, we had a lot of questions with the Georgian side, but no further explanations have been made today. Probably, this meeting will take place, which we will follow and we will definitely tell you in the next editions. Another statement by the Minister of Economy was issued today. Natia Turnava says that "the Georgian government will do its best to make American companies feel good in Georgia. The door of the ministry is always open for them to discuss each problem, we should hope that there will be a close relationship between investors and the ministry and there will be no more problems that this or that company will face. "

J1 - Thanks, Nino. Nino Tabatadze introduced us to the proposal of the Ministry of Economy and the response of "Frontera".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7KRHadw7oY&feature=youtu.be

(The instruction to the translator is to focus on the lastest submissions as matters seem to be fast moving. So you should expect some duplication in projects as we try to keep up. #8 will be ready today and we still have #5 & #7 pending)

Pt.2

J1 - Nino, as far as I know, you also talked to the general director of the company. I wonder what their position is on the offer of the Georgian side?

J2 - Nika, of course, when we heard this statement from the Ministry of Economy, we contacted the company "Frontera" and talked to the CEO of the company. As Zaza Mamulaishvili told us, a few days ago the company received a message from the Ministry of Economy that they wanted to make a certain offer to the company, but in the end, the company still learned from the media that the Georgian government would compromise. As Zaza Mamulaishvili tells us, the company continues to operate in Georgia and the decision of the arbitration is not such as to be the basis for termination of this contract. As Zaza Mamulaishvili explains, the company has already returned part of the land. As for the amount to be paid, the Georgian government itself has certain amounts to pay to the company, which refers to the return of overpaid VAT, so it is possible to deduct these funds to some extent. The company hopes that the meeting will take place and the company will continue its activities, as the Georgian side has no right to terminate their contract by the decision of the arbitration.

Zaza - We first heard in the press that they wanted to meet, but it is unclear what the purpose of all this is because in the same address they continued to spread false information about the results of international arbitration, our activities and the contractual obligations under which we work. If they think that they are expropriating our investments, then we will find ourselves in a different reality, but they do not have the right to do so by law and contractually. So it is still unclear what they are asking for because we are still working. We have not stopped working for a minute, although we have reduced the volume / scale of work due to these current events, but we have not stopped. And, legally, they can't stop on 27 either. The main demand they had was that we be fined more than $ 100 million, which the arbitration did not satisfy, and they also wanted to cancel the contract for us, and the arbitration also refused. But what the arbitration has imposed us is to return the areas where we do not extract oil and gas to the agency again, and we did that about a month ago.

Pt.1

J1 - Two months after the end of the arbitration dispute, the Georgian government is ready to compromise with the US-based investment firm “Frontera Resource Georgia” so that it can continue to operate on certain terms at the mines owned by Frontera. What does the Ministry of Economy demand in return for this right and what is the investor's response to the offer? Nino Tabatadze will tell us this now. Nino, I wonder why the position of the Georgian side has changed?

J2 - Nika, the position of the Georgian side, can be said to have changed suddenly, because until yesterday we knew that based on the decision of the arbitral tribunal, the Georgian side demanded that the company "Frontera" leave the entire license area. What happened yesterday? Yesterday, the US Ambassador, Kay Degnan, visited the Ministry of Economy. At this meeting, they talked about attracting American investments in Georgia. The Georgian side expressed a desire to see more American investments in the country. Apparently, the meeting also touched upon the American company Frontera, as the Deputy Minister of Economy issued a statement late last night, saying that the government was ready to compromise so that it would be possible to continue working on certain conditions at the fields owned by “Frontera”. Until now, as I mentioned, we knew that the Georgian side demanded the enforcement of the decision of the Arbitration Court and informed the company "Frontera" about the termination of the contract. By July 27, Frontera had to pay $ 6 million and leave the entire license area.

Davit Tvalabeishvili (Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development) - According to the decision of the arbitral tribunal, all the main issues raised by the Georgian side were positive in all these matters. As you know, after this decision, there were some questions left for both “Frontera” and our partners from the United States, and I just want to state that we are ready to discuss these issues with the company. We are ready to try and find such compromises that it will be possible to continue working on the mines owned by the company "Frontera" under certain conditions, of course, by receiving the relevant guarantees.

Here is an updated summary -

#1 - radio show $110, POSTED 07/06
https://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/a/????-????????????-?????????-????????????-??-??????????????-??????/30639322.html

#2 - Short Youtube clip $5.15, POSTED 15/06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL97SI8cjzQ

#3 - TV interview 16/06 $41.20, POSTED 18/06
https://mtavari.tv/ghamis-mtavari/7642

#4 – Interview from early May, $66.95 (found by translator) POSTED 22/06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bDj5hEHyEU

#5 – Interview with Zaza & Govt official, DUE 26/6 US$87.55 (found by translator)
https://palitranews.ge/video/sakme-frontera-vs-sakartvelos-mtavroba

#6 – TV Imedia news 5.23m US$20.60 POSTED 21/06
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=84RjV2oahC0

#7 – News segment with GOGC from 17/6 DUE 25/06 US$55.00
https://www.imedi.ge/ge/video/54942/saertashoriso-skandalshi-gakhveuli-da-skhvadaskhva-qvekanashi-taglitobashi-mkhilebuli-prontera

#8 – Zaza TV interview, 23/06 from 37m mark, US$36.05, DUE 25/06
https://www.facebook.com/107065540663565/videos/????-???????-??????-?????/211402503272921/

#9 – News segment via YouTube, 5.30m, US$25.75 DUE DATE 25/06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7KRHadw7oY&feature=youtu.be

Total invoiced amount = US$448.25 / GBP375.50

#8 & #9 will hopefully be available later today

He knows we want this ASAP and will do his best

http://georgiatoday.ge/news/16952/Deputy-Minister%3A-Georgia%27s-Energy-Sector-Is-Very-Attractive-for-Investors

On my phone and not able to cut and paste. He seems a seasoned negotiator and it seems pro western but if anyone can find more recent comments from him we might better understand his position thanks

Also - http://www.tbilisisrf.gov.ge/en/speakers/The-Future/348-david-tvalabeishvili

No need to translate that! Nice one Domfuk.

Hi all I am on the road for a few days but checking in on a regular basis and can still get the translator working if anything comes up. Back late Wednesday which should coincide with next drop from the translator.

Hi Freescot - yes, nice to see a "real" interview answered with confident replies. Lets hope we get to see more of this.

Pt.8 (and last part)

Journalist - Approximately, how many years of stock is this?

Zaza - To clarify, Georgia's annual natural gas consumption is about 2 billion cubic meters per year. So, the confirmed extractable stock will be enough for 150 taking into account the consumption which is today.
I
f we have such supplies, the government, on the contrary, I do not know, they should not let the cold wind blow into your direction, and I do not understand what we are dealing with these 22 years. I don't know, either you are saying something wrong or how can I believe the government does not want Georgia to have gas or oil in Georgia, any of the goventments.

Mr. Merab, imagine that I am saying the wrong thing. There are not 350 billion cubic meters, and say there is less than 3 cubic meters. Here, imagine that it is not. And yet, there are people who make investments, create jobs, hire people, pay taxes.
What is the country losing? Does Georgia have anything but profit in this case? Even if there is nothing and there is an interest in investing in search operations and generating income for the people, why should this be unacceptable to the state? This is in the option if there is nothing at all. If so, why is it unacceptable? Then why not give the company the opportunity to develop and seize this potential?

Yes sir. We’ll see how your dispute ends. thank you very much. Zaza Mamulaishvili, General Director of "Frontera" was our guest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bDj5hEHyEUv