PM hails successful “cooperation and friendship” with Armenia in opening “bridge of friendship”

The head of the Government highlighted the joint infrastructure project would contribute to the further strengthening of trade and economic relations between the two countries. Photo: Government Administration

Agenda.ge, 19 Aug 2022 - 16:03, Tbilisi,Georgia

The "bridge of friendship" unveiled by Georgia and Armenia "symbolises the success of our cooperation and friendship", Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday at the official opening ceremony of a new road bridge on the Debeda River near the Georgian-Armenian border.

Garibashvili stressed the friendship between the two countries was "measured over many centuries" and was not only an example of “brotherhood and friendship” but an “important foundation for the prosperity, stability, security and development" of the South Caucasus region.

The Georgian PM opened the new bridge together with his Armenian counterpart Nikol Pashinyan, the Government Administration said.

The bridge of friendship that we built together symbolises the success of our cooperation and friendship. This 160-metre-long, four-lane bridge of modern standards and parameters, jointly built on the [border] territory of two states, is a unique project in the region. As a result of putting it into operation, the transport permeability at the border is doubled”, Garibashvili said.

The head of the Government highlighted the joint infrastructure project would contribute to the further strengthening of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

"The bridge will not only be useful for the citizens and visitors of Armenia and Georgia, but will gain strategic importance as an important part of the East-West International Highway”, he continued.

 

Garibashvili thanked the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for allocating more than €7 million for the construction of the bridge.

 One can say [...] that we have built a new bridge of friendship between our countries, and today we are officially celebrating it. This bridge strengthens us, our countries, the region as a whole, so once again I congratulate you, I thank you, I wish our countries and our people peace, prosperity and progress”, Garibashvili concluded.