State Gained “TbilAviaMsheni” Back
July 5, 2010
Nino Gelashvili
The JSC “TbilAviaMsheni” (Tbilisi Avia Construction Factory) was assigned to the Defense Minister of Georgia. The head of the purchase department of the ministry Revaz Charbadze reported to the society about it. He said that the enterprise was assigned to the ministry based on the initiative of the factory administration. The Ministry of Defense and the enterprise have successfully cooperated for a long time.
According to the information published on the official website of the Defense Ministry, the ministry categorically denies the information spread by various news agencies regarding personnel changes. A military-industrial complex is planned to start on the base of the TbilAviaMsheni.
“I think it will guarantee new orders for the personnel of the TbilAviaMsheni. It will create new working places too. So, we are happy we were subordinated to the defense ministry,” said director-general of the TbilAviaMsheni Pantiko Tordia. He said the main client of the enterprise was the ministry and it influenced their final decision; “We thought that cooperation would be profitable for both sides.” The journalists were not allowed to ask questions at the joint press-conference.
According to the evaluation of the “Association of the Military Journalists”, compatibility of the TbilAviaMsheni might become doubtful. They said that assigning the enterprise to the defense ministry and the idea about military-industrial complex on its base existed in the past too. Scientific center “Delta” and Tbilisi tank-reconstruction factory was assigned to the military institution for this purpose.
“TbilAviaMsheni produces and repairs old soviet time military helicopters SU-25. Many countries have similar helicopters. So, compatibility of the TbilAviaMsheni does not cause any doubts. However, it is strange how potential partners will cooperate with the enterprise which is subordinated directly to the defense ministry,” statement of the Association.
They added that in western countries the order-makers and implementer cannot be a state institution. The authors of the abovementioned statement think that according to the circumstances additional clarifications are necessary for tax-payers and enterprise personnel about the subordination of the TbilAviaMsheni to the defense minister. “They have right to know what is the fate of the only enterprise of the military industry of Georgia,” stated the Association of Military Journalists.
In 2004, the administration purchased the TbilAviaMsheni from the state for 67 million USD and they still own 90 % of its shares. The necessity to return the enterprise to the state has not cleared up yet. Our government has been stating for the last years that the state “should sell everything except its dignity.
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