17:20 - 2.06.2026

---

June 2, Fineko/abc.az. Minister of Digital Development & Transport of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev delivered speech at the official opening ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway (BTK) after large-scale modernization.

ABC.AZ informs that the minister noted that Azerbaijan has invested in a 184-km section of the line passing through the territory of Georgia. As part of the five stages of work, 13 railway stations, 55 bridges, 8 traction substations, as well as more than 320 buildings and engineering structures were reconstructed.

According to Nabiyev, the work done was not just a repair, but a purposeful and strategic decision designed to turn the BTK into a real backbone of the Middle Corridor.

Key points from minister's speech:

Increased capacity: As a result of strategic work, the capacity of the line has been increased 5-fold and up to 5 million tons a year. Today, the BTK is the most competitive transit route between the Caspian and Black Seas.

Final protocol: Two weeks ago in Baku, within the World Urban Forum, in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a protocol was signed finalizing the rehabilitation of the Marabda-Kartsakhi section.

Leadership and interdependence: The success of the project was made possible thanks to the personal leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. Our success is interdependent, and every ton of cargo transported along this corridor is proof of the sustainability of our joint achievements.