TBILISI. March 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Central Bank and the Georgian National Bank signed an agreement on bank service for the Russian military deployed in Georgia on Monday.
"This agreement determines the conditions of bank service for Russian military in Georgia, in particular, that they will have their salaries paid in laris (the Georgian currency - Interfax-AVN)," Irakly Managadze, president of the Georgian National Bank, told reporters.
"In accordance with this document the Russian Central Bank will open a lari correspondent account in the National Bank. This account will be used to pay salaries to the Russian military and civilian personnel of the bases, and to fund logistical activities of organizations organic to these bases," Managadze said.
The National Bank will also open a correspondent account in the Central Bank of Russia in order to maintain efficient mutual payment.
Currently the 12th and 62nd military bases (in Batumi and Akhalkalaki) and the HQ of the Russian military force in Transcaucasia (Tbilisi) are deployed in Georgia.
According to Oleg Mozhayskov, deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, the agreement will be effective since April 1.
"Georgia has a right to determine the form of payment to the Russian military, and Russia agrees to that," he said.
At the same time, Sergei Golovnin, Central Bank envoy to Georgia, expressed concerns that the new form of payment would cause problems for the Russian military. "In particular, changing laris for rubles if a serviceman stationed in Georgia wishes to go to Russia is very inconvenient," he said.