The study concentrates on the analysis of the activities of Turkish governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the territory of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic. The major historical period covered by the research is the post-Soviet era that preceded the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research questions focus on the Adjaro-Turkish interaction in the economic and religious spheres in the specified period. The implementation of the Neo-Ottoman policy in Adjaria is the central topic of this study. The paper discusses the historical processes that determined the vector of Turkish-Adjarian relations. It also analyses the main characteristics of the current state of interaction by Turkey's soft power policy in the area. The transit role of Georgia in projects connecting Turkey with Azerbaijan and the countries of Central Asia ensures the development of the Pan-Turkic direction within the Neo-Ottoman concept. Nevertheless, we should say that the promotion of a supranational identity by means of the single economic and cultural space of Turkey and other Turkic states, united by origin and a common religion, is much easier than pursuing a similar policy towards a Christian Kartavelian-speaking country. Batumi possesses a substantial transit hub necessary for the implementation of further energy projects, so Turkey needs to maintain its presence here. Potential pipelines from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan may be placed along the Caspian seabed, by skirting the land border of Iran and Russia. Consequently, Turkey increases the attractiveness of Adjara to Turkish tourists and entrepreneurs, strengthening its presence in the life of the region.
Akhmatshina E. K. – structuring material, editing text, concluding writing. Luchenkov I. R. – collection and analysis of data, technical design of the article, concluding writing
Akhmatshina E. K., Luchenkov I. R. Turkish-Adjarian relations in the post-Soviet period: the religious and economical aspect (1991–2018). Kaspiyskiy region: politika, ekonomika, kultura [The Caspian Region: Politics, Economics, Culture]. 2023, no. 1 (74), pp. 102–106. https://doi.org/10.54398/1818510Х_2023_1_102
