Armenia and Georgia open new “Friendship Bridge”

Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan inaugurated a new bridge on the river Debed in a ceremony. The bridge will be an upgrade to the Sadakhlo-Bagratashen checkpoint.

The construction of the bridge began in July 2021. The 160-meter-long bridge connecting the two countries cost €9 million and was built with the help of a €6 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

During the ceremony, Pashinyan said that the centuries-old relations between the two fraternal countries need modern infrastructure to adapt to the requirements of the time and that he hopes for the bridge to be a strong foundation for further cooperation between Armenia and Georgia.

His counterpart, Garibashvili said that the relations between the two countries are not only an example of brotherhood and friendship but also a necessity for the prosperity, stability, security, and development of the region. He added that the bridge embodies the success of the cooperation between the two countries.

The older bridge at the checkpoint will be strengthened to serve as an alternative route.