Georgia's Parliament has passed amendments to the Law on Roads under an expedited procedure, paving the way for the creation of a new state-owned company responsible for maintaining international and domestic highways. The legislative package was presented by Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mzia Giorgobiani.
Under the new law, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure will be authorized to transfer road maintenance responsibilities, in full or in part, to a legal entity under its management. Previously, the Roads Department carried out this work through private contractors selected via public tenders.
The new state company will initially oversee maintenance and operation of the 105-kilometre Gori–Argveta international highway, including 138 bridges and 59 tunnels. The government plans to invest around GEL 63 million to establish the company, while the Infrastructure Ministry also intends to purchase 120 new vehicles and pieces of equipment for the project.
The amendments also introduce stricter rules against unauthorized construction within road corridors. The Roads Department will be empowered to order the removal of illegal structures, with demolition costs borne by violators if they fail to comply within the prescribed deadline. Most provisions take effect immediately, while the new enforcement and demolition rules will come into force 90 days after publication.
