Maka Bochorishvili: No route can replace Georgia’s unique strategic role

According to the minister, Georgia’s strategic location makes it a key connectivity hub, and the emergence of new routes or directions cannot weaken the country’s potential in this regard.

“I truly do not see such a risk, and there is no reason to live with fears that someone might scare us by saying Georgia will disappear from the map. Georgia will not disappear from the map. Rather, one may question the competence of those who today talk about connectivity but fail to mention the main link for Europe — Georgia. Moreover, they not only fail to mention it, but even oppose it and try to somehow damage this route, while no alternative exists today,” the minister said.

She emphasized that the construction of new routes is an important asset for the region.

“Today there is active discussion about building new routes through Azerbaijan and Armenia, and we can calmly say this is good for the region. If this develops and new routes are added, the value of our region in terms of connectivity will only increase. However, it is unimaginable that any route could replace Georgia — this corridor has existed, operated, and developed for many years. Demand grows every year, not decreases. Even if three or four more routes were added, they would probably still not be enough for the scale of cargo flows between the West and the East,” she noted.

According to the minister, there are certain attempts to downplay Georgia’s strategic function, but the reality is that despite the emergence of new directions, the country continues to maintain its strategic importance on the global geopolitical map.

“Some are trying to use Azerbaijan-Armenia relations in relation to Georgia and raise ambiguous questions — how we view this. We view it positively, welcome it, and do not see it as a competing route to the corridor that runs through Georgia,” Bochorishvili said.