London-listed Georgian Mining is still waiting for Georgia to grant it an exploration permit extension, although chairperson Neil O’Brien said on Thursday that recent changes in the government provided some basis for optimism that a solution could be on the horizon.
“There would appear to be a stark contradiction between the treatment of the company in respect of our exploration permit extension, and government’s wish to increase foreign direct investment and expand the resources sector,” he said, slamming the more-than-a-year wait for a permit extension as “wholly unacceptable”.