Tbilisi Mayor on Abastumani airspace: route adjustments pose ‘no problem,’ driven by scientific needs

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Thursday said the recent adjustment of flight routes over Abastumani did not present any issue, claiming that the decision was based on recommendations from scientists rather than political considerations in favour of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party. 

Speaking to the media, Kaladze noted that a group of researchers had appealed to the government, noting that aircraft emissions were interfering with astronomical observations. According to him, the government responded by correcting flight paths to ensure better conditions for scientific work.

The issue follows a broader government decision to modify parts of Georgia’s airspace, including the creation of a restricted zone over Abastumani. Authorities have justified the move by citing the need to maintain atmospheric clarity for the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory.

Under a government decree signed by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a new restricted airspace zone - covering a radius of approximately 52 kilometers - came into force on April 16. The measure affects several international transit routes used by passenger and cargo flights traveling between Europe and Asia.

While the observatory’s leadership has supported the restrictions, saying clear skies are essential for research, sources cited by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, have questioned the rationale behind the scale of the closure, suggesting alternative motivations.

Kaladze dismissed criticism, arguing that opposition to such decisions reflected a broader pattern of rejecting development initiatives. He also pointed to the rehabilitation of Abastumani, attributing its transformation from a neglected area to major investments, including those by Ivanishvili.

Despite official explanations, aviation experts warn that restricting key corridors in Georgian airspace could have operational and financial implications. The affected routes are part of a critical transit corridor that has gained importance in recent years due to regional conflicts and restrictions in neighboring airspaces.