Azerbaijan - May 2026

The Azerbaijani Government resumed passenger rail services between Azerbaijan and Georgia on 26 May, marking the first reopening of a land-border crossing to non-freight traffic since pandemic-era restrictions were introduced in 2020. All other land border crossings remain closed. The measure allows for reunification for citizens and the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Azeris and Azerbaijani citizens living in Georgia, and constitutes a partial expansion of freedom of movement and a relaxation of a policy long criticized by activists and the affected communities. President Ilham Aliyev admitted in 2025 that quarantine policies remained in place not for public health reasons, but for unspecified security measures.

Sources: EurasiaNet, Anewz.com