Free industrial zone opening delayed

The opening of Rakeen Georgia's free industrial zone in Poti has been delayed several times. First it was scheduled for May, then June, now it is planned for August 1. Some confidential sources state that these delays have been caused by the fact that not many companies have applied for space in the zone but Rakeen Georgia claims that more than 25 companies have done so, including Armenian, Azerbaijani, Iranian and Turkish ones.

The Georgian Tbilcement factory has been based in the free industrial zone for a while, and Rakeen Georgia says that by the end of 2010 around 400 companies should join them, offering jobs to 25,000 people. However the zone does not function as of yet, so the economic advantages of being there are limited.