Prepared by Messenger Staff
Enguri Customs Terminal Revealed After Years of Secrecy in Occupied Abkhazia
Echo of the Caucasus has published an article detailing the goals and background of a customs terminal under construction at Enguri in occupied Abkhazia. According to the outlet, about 80 percent of the work is complete, and the facility could soon begin operating.
Astamur Akhsalba, head of the so-called Transit and Logistics Company, discussed the project publicly for the first time. The terminal, positioned near the Enguri crossing point, was kept secret for years. "Construction work is almost finished, and Sokhumi is hypothetically ready to start cargo transit. Tbilisi remains silent," the publication wrote, noting that neither Sokhumi, Moscow nor Tbilisi had made official comments.
Akhsalba said the secrecy was deliberate. "A war is underway nearby, and the entire West is confronting the Russian Federation. Because of this, we had to temporarily halt the project in order to protect Abkhazia itself and the project. We had to work quietly to launch it successfully," he explained.
The idea of a transport hub, he said, dates back to agreements between Russian and Abkhaz customs services in 2010 and 2011. He argued that the plan stalled due to regional tensions and Georgian politics at the time. "After the war in Ukraine, the project gained vital significance for Russia," he added.
Akhsalba claimed that Russia is now in talks with India, Iran, and Azerbaijan about using the route, and suggested that some European countries might eventually show interest. "There are European countries that want to trade with Russia, and it is interesting for them as well," he said.
He emphasized that Georgians will not be permitted to use the terminal. "Not until good neighborly relations are established at the very least at the level of a non-use of force agreement," Akhsalba stated.
Former Georgian Dream MP Goga Gulordava Approved as a New Member of the Communications Commission
Georgia's Parliament, functioning under disputed circumstances following the recent political crisis, approved former Georgian Dream lawmaker Goga Gulordava on December 9 as a new member of the Communications Commission, the state body that oversees broadcasting and electronic communications. His appointment comes as Chairman Kakhi Bekauri nears the end of his term, which expires on January 26, 2026. Once Bekauri steps down, the commission will elect a new chair from among its members.
Gulordava secured 77 votes in favor and faced no opposition during the confirmation session. He was chosen from a shortlist of three nominees that also included Vladimer Tatishvili, the former head of Adjara Television and Radio Public Broadcaster, and Ilia Mikelaishvili, the founder and director of LLC Pirveli and MediaHub Saleshouse.
A lawyer by training, Gulordava previously served as a Georgian Dream MP representing the Tsalenjikha constituency between 2016 and 2020. Before entering Parliament, he led the Tsalenjikha Municipality Administration from 2013 to 2016.
The Communications Commission has drawn sustained criticism from civil society and media watchdogs, who argue that it operates under strong influence from the ruling party. Its powers over broadcasters have expanded in recent years as the government tightened regulatory standards. Kakhi Bekauri, the outgoing chair, has faced international scrutiny as well. He has been sanctioned by both Lithuania and Ukraine, measures that critics say highlight growing concerns about the commission's independence.
