Georgia Could Lose Up to 20% of Its Transit Cargo If New Routes Open Through Armenia

The unblocking of transport routes between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey could alter the logistics map of the South Caucasus, reported Paata Tsagareishvili, director of the Center for Transportation Corridor Studies.

Experts estimate that after the opening of new routes, Georgia could lose up to 2 million tons of transit cargo, which accounts for approximately 15-20% of the total flow through the 'Middle Corridor'.

Tsagareishvili noted that road routes will start operating first, while the launch of rail services will take another 5-6 years. According to the expert, such a scale of losses would be a serious blow to Georgia's economy. He urged Tbilisi to reconsider its pricing policy, modernize infrastructure, and more actively attract cargo from Central Asia to maintain its competitiveness.