Georgian Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tamar Ioseliani stated that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line holds strategic significance for the region.

She noted that BTK is an important transport route linking Europe with Asia and, as a joint strategic project implemented by Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye, creates additional opportunities for freight transportation in the region, The Caspian Post reports, citing Report.

"A new railway line is being added to our transport network. This is a joint strategic project of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Türkiye that links Europe with Asia and gives us additional opportunities for freight transportation in the region," Ioseliani said.

According to her, the project is of major and symbolic importance not only for Georgia, but for the region as a whole.

The deputy minister added that the BTK line had been operating in test mode since 2017, during which freight volumes had steadily increased.

"We are confident that, through joint efforts, we will be able to make this railway operate at full capacity. Large-scale restoration and reconstruction work has been carried out on the Marabda-Kartsakhi railway section," she said.

Ioseliani noted that during the Georgian prime minister's visit to Baku in May, the Protocol of the Bilateral Coordination Council was signed, laying the groundwork for the project's full commissioning.

The deputy minister also said the annual freight capacity of the BTK line is estimated at around 5 million tons, with plans to attract additional cargo flows in the future.