Georgian Economy Minister: new Tbilisi airport designed as int’l connection facility

Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday said a new international airport serving the capital city of Tbilisi should be developed to function as a facility ensuring international connection for both passenger traffic and cargo shipments.

In comments on the project announced by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze earlier during the day, Davitashvili said the Government aimed to have a “detailed plan by the end of 2025”, with the construction expected to take three years and be “fully operational” by late 2028.

He noted the new facility would ensure a “significantly” increased passenger flow along with economic growth.

We expect passenger flow to reach 19 million [per year] by 2050 [...] This investment project will cost more than $1 billion and is expected to have a significant economic effect, with the growth of the economy increasing by 0.2 percentage points, which means ₾350 million ($129.65mln) will be added to the economy over the next years”, he said.

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The Minister added the airport project would be a “new stimulus” for Tbilisi as well as urban and spatial development in terms of connectivity between the capital and Rustavi,  a city to its south-east.

The project will also be important for the population of Rustavi in terms of employment - new jobs will be created in various sectors”, Davitashvili said.

He said the Ministry of Economy had been working “intensively” on the project for several months, with studies conducted with the Ministry of Defence - which had operated the site intended for the facility - and with the involvement of the Asian Development Bank.

Davitashvili said navigational studies were currently being facilitated, with the configuration of the new runway to be determined in the next phase.

The Minister added an international consulting company had been involved in the airport management part of the project, with “several options” identified.

He said the state would retain “full control and ownership” of the airport and bring in a management company with “professional and efficient” management experience.