Georgia starts spreading energy vouchers

The country has launched the process of distributing 20-lari (about 12 US dollars) vouchers on electricity, which presumably will be given to more than 1.2 million families, Andriya Urushadze, Minister of Labour, Public Health and Social Protection, said today.

"Distribution of vouchers began in Tbilisi and other cities; and we assume that over 1.2 million families will receive them," Mr Urushadze told reporters after the sitting of the government.

The sums of money provided by the vouchers will be credited to users' accounts before March 31, said Irakli Nadareishvili, the head of the Agency for Social Services under the Ministry of Public Health. Vouchers will be provided to all active users according to the list to be compiled by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia, the "News-Georgia" reports.

The initiative of spreading vouchers was moved by the President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili. According to his story, because of the abnormally cold winter the population had unforeseen expenses on electricity.

In its turn, the Labour Party of Georgia treats the programme of spreading electricity vouchers launched by the authorities as an electoral bribe and demands to enforce the lawsuit won by the party at the Constitutional Court. Labourites demand to drop the rate for electricity in the capital of the country down to 11 tetris (about seven US cents), and in the regions – down to 7 tetris (about 4.5 US cents), the "Georgia Online" reports.