Infrastructure Minister at Tbilisi Silk Road Forum: 18 projects worth $3.4 bln to boost Georgia’s transit potential

Eighteen infrastructure projects worth 3.4 billion USD will be carried out to boost Georgia’s transit potential, said the Infrastructure Minister Maia Tskitishvili at Tbilisi Silk Road Forum today.

Tskitishvili noted the importance of the construction of the East-West Highway in the country, which will ensure faster and safer movement in the country.

Tskitishvili also spoke about the importance of increasing investments in logistic infrastructure, including modernising railways, expanding Black Sea ports and building the Anaklia Deep Sea Port.  

Infrastructure Minister Tskitishvili said that these projects are not merely about infrastructure: they will help to build “a more liberal economy, more connectivity between countries, more contacts with the regions".

Tskitishvili noted the importance of constructing a highway between the country’s capital of Tbilisi and the large town to the south, Rustavi. 

She responded to recently voiced public protest against the construction of the highway, and said that through negotiations they would try to convince the population of the need of the Rustavi-Tbilisi highway.

Tskitishvili also noted the importance of the energy sector and said that with the development of the economy, the generation and supply of energy is necessary.

We need to develop the energy sector. Therefore, we need more hydropower plants, more energy. The energy sector is a sector ... where we have great potential and need to develop it”, said Maia Tskitishvili.

Tskitishvili noted that investments in the energy sector have declined because of public protests.