Day: June 2, 2026

Georgian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish officials inaugurated the “full launch” of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway on June 2, marking the completion of major rehabilitation and reconstruction works aimed at boosting trade and freight transport volumes across the region.

The BTK railway, a key Middle Corridor transit link that initially opened in 2017 and, according to officials, has operated in “test mode” until now, spans approximately 850 kilometers, 180 kilometers of which run through Georgia. The June 2 official launch ceremony marks the line’s transition into “full” operational mode, which is expected to boost its annual carrying capacity from 1 million to 5 million tons.

The launch comes as Georgia seeks a greater role in regional connectivity, including as part of the Middle Corridor, with hopes to attract European and American interest as the country finds itself alienated from traditional Western partners amid a prolonged political crisis.

The modernization of the Georgian section (Marabda-Kartsakhi line) included the rehabilitation of 153 kilometers of existing railway infrastructure and the construction of 27 kilometers of new railway line, according to the project’s promotional video. The project also comprises four new and 15 rehabilitated railway bridges, 13 stations built to modern standards, 34 overpasses, four snow-protection galleries for the railway track, the cross-border railway tunnel linking Georgia and Turkey, and the Akhalkalaki International Railway Station.

First announced in 2007, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project was hailed as a historically important transport corridor linking Asia and Europe through the South Caucasus. Originally scheduled for completion in 2010, the project faced repeated delays, with deadlines set for 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Officials in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey cited a range of factors, including funding delays, Georgia’s change of government, difficulties involving a Turkish contractor, and complex mountainous terrain and weather conditions. The railway was ultimately inaugurated in October 2017 by then-Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kvirikashvili, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The latest launch comes weeks after Georgian Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, signed “a protocol of the bilateral coordination council” during a meeting in Baku. The protocol envisaged bringing the upgraded BTK railway section into full operation.

It also follows a series of completed and announced modernization projects on Georgia’s main railway corridors, including challenging sections linking the country’s eastern and western regions.

Inauguration Ceremony

The inauguration ceremony, taking place was attended by Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, and Armenia’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures David Khudatyan.

Addressing the ceremony, Irakli Kobakhidze described the project as“of historic significance,” calling it “another vivid example of the strategic partnership and exemplary cooperation among Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.” He said that the new BTK railway line is “one of the largest infrastructure projects” implemented in the region.

According to the GD Prime Minister, more than 1.8 million tons of cargo, including up to 90,000 containers, have been transported via the BTK railway since 2017, when the line began operating in a pilot regime. “During this period, a clear upward trend in freight transportation emerged, which once again confirms the economic and logistical importance of this transport corridor,” he noted.

Kobakhidze described the railway as “an integral part of the Middle Corridor, which holds particular importance in connecting Europe and Asia.” He argued that the project has greater significance amid “global challenges and crises, when the diversification of international trade routes and secure transport networks are among the key prerequisites for economic development,” and brings “Europe and Asia even closer together and strengthens the strategic importance of our region within the global trade and logistics network.”

According to Kobakhidze, the railway’s annual carrying capacity will reach 5 million tons once the route becomes fully operational, “significantly increasing the transit capabilities of our region and further strengthening the competitiveness of the Middle Corridor.”

Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili also addressed the ceremony, highlighting recent growth in regional freight flows. She said that in 2025, container shipments transiting Georgia from China and Kazakhstan increased by 33%, while freight volumes on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route were nearly six times higher than the previous year.

“Today is a clear example that regional cooperation, good-neighbourly relations, and partnership based on shared interests create a strong foundation for peace, stability, and economic progress,” Kvrivishvili said.

Also Read:

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• 22/01/2026 – In Davos, Leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan Discuss Direct Trade Routes Bypassing Georgia
• 08/12/2025 – Azerbaijani Media Accuse Georgia of Border Delays, Tariff Pressure

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The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia announced arresting three people and launching criminal prosecution against six more after uncovering fraudulent visa and migration schemes in joint efforts with the U.S. Embassy’s Regional Security Office (RSO).

According to prosecutor Giorgi Mikia’s June 2 press briefing, the joint efforts led to the identification of two organized criminal groups, with suspects accused of assisting Georgians in fabricating asylum claims, producing false documents for obtaining Canada and U.S. visas, charging thousands of dollars in fees, and defrauding migrants held in U.S. immigration detention.

Prosecutors said the first group emerged after tighter U.S. immigration policies made crossing the U.S. border more difficult. Investigators allege that four Georgian citizens formed an organized criminal network that sought out people wishing to obtain asylum in the United States and offered to “build [asylum] cases,” gather supporting evidence, and provide assistance during court proceedings.

The investigation identified 366 Georgian citizens who allegedly turned to members of the group for assistance in obtaining asylum in the U.S., prosecutors said.

“The members of the organized criminal group wrote non-existent stories in so-called [asylum] cases about how Georgian citizens were persecuted in Georgia for various reasons, including on the grounds of political views or sexual orientation,” prosecutors said. To reinforce those claims, the suspects allegedly produced forged documents and charged thousands of U.S. dollars for their services.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the group charged between USD 1,000 and USD 1,500 for preparing asylum “cases,” USD 3,000 for forged supporting documents, and an additional USD 6,000-8,000 for managing asylum proceedings and securing a successful outcome.

Prosecutors also stated that two members of the group defrauded Georgian nationals held in immigration detention, obtaining USD 10,000 from four individuals without providing the promised assistance. The group also allegedly promised Georgian citizens assistance in obtaining Canadian visas, with one of the suspects charging an undercover officer from the Prosecutor’s Office USD 800 in exchange for forged documents, including a bank statement and an employment certificate indicating that the officer was employed in the U.S.

Prosecutors said that joint efforts with the U.S. Embassy RSO also helped uncover a second organized criminal group that helped citizens obtain U.S. visas through forged documents. Mikia said the group used social media platforms to advertise assistance with U.S. visa applications, telling clients they would only be required to pay USD 10,000 to USD 15,000 if their visas were approved. According to the prosecutors, the group assisted 65 Georgian citizens with forged documents, with some of them ending up getting visas and paying a total of USD 112,000 in cash to the members of the group.

The alleged scheme was uncovered after embassy officials verified part of the submitted documentation, resulting in the revocation of visas issued to all citizens assisted by the group’s members. Still, according to the investigation, between January 2025 and February 2026, members of the second group allegedly generated USD 142,786.43, GEL 15,095, and EUR 1,560 through the scheme.

The nine suspects face charges including organizing/facilitating the submission of false information for the illegal stay or asylum of Georgian citizens abroad for financial/material gain through large-scale fraud committed by an organized group, and producing and distributing forged official documents. Prosecutors said the charges carry a maximum penalty of up to nine years in prison.

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