The owner and director of “Zugdidi Road Department” LLC, Soso Sajaia, has welcomed the government’s decision to create a state-owned company for the maintenance of international highways. Speaking to BM.GE, he said he supports the initiative mainly in the context of responding to natural disasters, arguing that a state operator could help mobilize resources and equipment more effectively during emergencies.
Sajaia noted that in extreme weather events, such as floods or landslides, private contractors may not always have enough resources on standby. In his view, a state company could strengthen rapid response capacity and support existing contractors with modern machinery, improving overall infrastructure resilience.
At the same time, he downplayed concerns that the new state company would become a direct competitor to private firms in road maintenance. He argued that the sector is highly specialized and requires experienced personnel, suggesting that the state entity may ultimately rely on subcontracting existing private companies rather than fully replacing them.
Sajaia also expressed skepticism about whether the state company could independently manage complex road maintenance operations, especially on major highways. However, he said that in principle he supports the initiative for its potential role in crisis situations, while acknowledging that long-term impacts on the private sector remain uncertain.
