On October 28, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that the opening of a 27-kilometer, four-lane section of Rikoti Pass, a major crossing between eastern and western parts of Georgia, which includes 65 bridges and 38 tunnels, would facilitate movement on the road.

"The development of the East-West international highway helps to strengthen the competitiveness of the transport corridor of Georgia. The capacity of the high-speed road and transit cargo turnover will increase, the quality of road traffic safety will be improved, and the travel time will be reduced," he added.

In his address, Garibashvili thanked Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, the representatives of the European Investment Bank and the World Bank, and all the donor organizations involved in the implementation of this project.

He said the ongoing construction works on the remaining sections of Rikoti Pass would be completed by the end of 2024.

Notably, the new section of Rikoti Pass reduces travel distance by 8 km and time by 25 minutes, with all modern road safety standards, including external lighting, having been considered in the design of the new road.

European officials and international organizations applaud the project

Paweł Herczyński said the development of Rikoti Pass, a major crossing between eastern and western parts of Georgia, directly contributed to the advancement of economic and investment projects in the country, bringing Georgia closer to the EU. He noted that the Global Gateway was the bloc's strategy to connect different parts of the EU and to promote smart, safe links in the digital energy and transport sectors, strengthening health, education, and research systems worldwide.

Lesley Bearman Lahm, the Country Director for Georgia at the Asian Development Bank, called it a serious milestone in the execution of the project of the century - the East-West highway, adding the highway would increase the capability of the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe via the South Caucasus region.

Rolande Pryce, the World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, emphasized that the highway’s development, which includes the reduction of travel distance and improvement of safety standards, would have a positive impact on Georgia’s business and tourism, contributing to the economic growth of the country. "The World Bank is especially proud to be the first international financial institution to support this project with $2.3 billion from the American flagship project," Pryce said.