Investing in the Anaklia deep-sea port would be a more strategic use of public funds than the planned construction of Vaziani Airport, PMCG adviser Davit Tsiklauri said in an interview with BMGTV's Business Morning.
Tsiklauri argued that Georgia should be able to secure the financing needed for the port, including the additional $200 million cited by the economy minister, through international financial institutions or partner countries. He noted that similar large-scale infrastructure projects have previously attracted participation from countries such as Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
According to Tsiklauri, the required financing is manageable, particularly given Georgia's ongoing cooperation with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank on other major infrastructure projects. He added that the investment would be spread over several years, making the fiscal burden more manageable.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced in June that construction of Vaziani Airport is scheduled to begin at the end of 2027 and be completed by the end of 2031. Once the new airport opens, the government plans to close Tbilisi International Airport, whose operator, TAV Georgia, recently had its concession extended until 2031 under a commitment to invest $150 million in airport infrastructure.
