EU prioritises restoration of Nakhchivan railway infrastructure

European Union considers the restoration of railway infrastructure in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic one of its key investment priorities in Azerbaijan, Victor Bojkov, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation in Azerbaijan, has stated.

He said the railway line had been in a deteriorated condition for a long period, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Bojkov noted that he recently visited Nakhchivan and, together with a team of experts, inspected the railway section along the Julfa–Nakhchivan route.

“We travelled along this route on a work train moving at around 20 km/h. It took about three hours to cover roughly 20 kilometres,” he added.

The EU representative further stressed that specialists are currently evaluating the technical condition of the railway, the required investment volume, possible rehabilitation approaches, and estimated costs.

According to Bojkov, preliminary assessments suggest that the railway infrastructure is generally in satisfactory condition.

He also said that experts inspected bridges, overpasses, and sections of track along the Araz River near the state border.

In his view, the project is considered of national importance and is viewed as a priority investment direction for both Azerbaijan and the European Union.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov