Page 43 - GEORptApr20

EBRD considers loan of up to €60mn to help upgrade Tbilisi subway
port sealed in 2016 with a consortium headed by one of Ivanishvili’s main political rivals.
"It is important that Belarus is able to diversify its transport routes and use the Black Sea route, to use the Georgian ports, which are developing very intensively, and to use the improved transport infrastructure that Georgia offers to the countries of the region,” Turnava said.
Prime Minister of Belarus Sergey Rumas confirmed his country’s interest in economic cooperation with Georgia.
"Belarus is interested in delivering Belarusian goods to third countries through Georgia or vice-versa, importing merchandise via the Black Sea, in particular with use of the port infrastructure," -said Rumas after the meeting.
The board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to consider a financing contribution of up to €60mn that would be invested in upgrading the Tbilisi subway.
Loan proceeds for the benefit of the Tbilisi Transport Company would be used to finance objectives including a renewal of rolling stock. The investment would improve the reliability, safety and efficiency of public transport in the Georgian capital through the acquisition of approximately 40 modern metro cars (10 train sets), the EBRD said in a project review. “The project is part of a broader programme aiming to assist the city in reforming its management of public transport by financing the renewal of bus and metro systems and network restructuring,” the bank added.
The EBRD board will consider whether to go ahead with the loan in April.
The project is part of Green Cities 2 (GrCF2) and a follow-on investment to the Tbilisi Green City Action Plan (GCAP).
GrCF2's primary goal is to achieve significant environmental improvements and promote the green transition quality within relevant cities.
9.1.3​Aviation sector news
Aslan Bzhania, president-elect of separatist region Abkhazia in Georgia, has said he wants to restore Sukhumi airport as a means of tightening ties with Russia, the de facto sovereign state’s main sponsor.
Bzhania just recently won the presidential elections in Abkhazia, enjoying significant support from Moscow. He spoke about his plans in an interview with Russian news agency Tass.
“The airport does not work. This problem is very serious, and it must be solved, because it is not only of economic importance. This factor negatively affects our image. The state, with such a good airport, by and large, does not have air traffic with a strategic partner [Russia], the largest state in the world,” Bzhania said, adding that “there are forces that can hinder us in this process”.
Bzhania said he did not know exactly how much time and money it would take to restore the airport, since the issue was still under discussion.
“It is fundamentally important to launch the airport and change the mode of operation at the state border. This is what we must do. This must be solved,” he added.
The airport, located by the village of Babushera, 18 km from Sukhumi, was built in 1960 and was closed in 1993. A project to repair and reconstruct it was developed last October.
Georgia decided to halt flights to and from its airports, with very limited exceptions.​ On March 21, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili declared a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days to allow the government to
43​ GEORGIA Country Report ​April 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com