Former Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli says Georgia's decision to finance the Anaklia deep-sea port through a state-led landlord model could increase the country's financial and geopolitical risks, warning that the government may ultimately seek funding from Chinese financial institutions.
Speaking on BMGTV's Analytics, Khidasheli argued that Georgia's access to Western financing has weakened, making Chinese lenders a more likely source of the additional $200 million the government says is needed for port infrastructure. "I see a very significant risk that the money will be borrowed from Chinese banks, because confidence in Georgia among Western lenders has declined," she said.
Khidasheli also questioned the government's decision to shift to the landlord model after Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili said the change had been agreed with China's CCCC, despite the company never being formally confirmed as the strategic investor. She argued that the state should play only a limited role in commercial infrastructure projects and said Georgia lacks experience in managing a port of Anaklia's scale and attracting the cargo volumes needed for its commercial success.
According to Khidasheli, the project would have benefited more from a strategic private investor capable of assuming commercial risks and guaranteeing cargo flows. She added that repeated changes to the project's development model undermine confidence and suggested the latest revision could further delay construction rather than accelerate it.
