Tbilisi/09.07.13/Turan-BS PRESS: Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said that the completion of construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway has been delayed for two years.
"Instead of being completed this year as planned, unfortunately, it will be delayed for two years," Saakashvili said at a meeting with former diplomats on Monday, July 8.
According to the President, it is dangerous for Georgia, as it may lose its function as a regional center.
"The completion of the railway and port Lasik meant that turnover during the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan would come to Georgia," Saakashvili said.
In this regard, the President said that Georgia has missed the chance because of its "conscious" policy.
Former authorities, representatives of Saakashvili's party "United National Movement", planned to build a new city Lasik and the Lasik port on the coast of the Black Sea. After the parliamentary elections of October 1, 2012, when the coalition of the Georgian billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili "Georgian Dream" won, the new authorities did not consider it appropriate to build a new town and port.
The project to create the BTK railway transport corridor includes the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki with length of 98 kilometers, 68 kilometers accounted for by Turkish and 30 miles of Georgian territory. For the construction and renovation of the Georgian section of BTK Azerbaijan gave Georgia a soft loan totaling $ 775 million.
Last week, Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, said that the pace of construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku will be greatly accelerated. -02D-
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