The Georgian government has submitted amendments to the Railway Code that would prohibit the sale of main railway tracks and their protected zones owned by the state or by state-controlled enterprises.
The draft law, prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and submitted under an accelerated procedure, aims to ensure that strategic railway infrastructure remains under state control. The ministry argues that the railway network is critical for the countryโs economic development and security, as it supports international freight and passenger transportation.
Under the proposal, government-designated main railway tracks and their protected zones could not be transferred to third parties. The only exception would be transfers to companies in which the state holds more than a 50% ownership stake.
The legislation also introduces a formal definition of a โmain railway trackโ and requires the government to approve, within six months of the lawโs enactment, an official list of main railway lines and their protected zones. Currently, the infrastructure is owned by Georgian Railway and Marabda-Kartsakhi Railway, both of which are fully state-owned.
