On October 2, Russia cut off all air, marine and even postal communication with Georgia. Things weren’t going too well back in July when the Russians closed the Kazbek-Higher Lars passing point and came up with the excuse that they were renovating. At the time, Georgian officials declared hat Russia had closed the border as punishment for disobeying Russia. Georgians also said that the closing of the passing point was going to have negative consequences not for Georgia, but rather for Armenia. They were right. Georgia could pass through the Black Sea and Azerbaijan, meanwhile Armenia doesn’t have those opportunities. Most of our cargo comes from Russia and makes its way to Armenia through Georgia. Most of the exported cargo was transported through the Higher Lars passing point. During the closing of the passing point, cargo stopped and the only road that Armenia had was the Poti-Novorosisk-Burgas Poti road, which we could use once a week with the boat. The boat first takes the Russian and Bulgarian cargo, then the Ukrainian and Georgian and then comes Armenia’s cargo. During the days of the closing of the border, the cargo stopped flowing because there were so many cars piled up at the harbors that both sides had switched the road to take the path leading towards the sea. Armenian carriers said at the time that quite often, there wasn’t enough room for them to transport their load and waited until it made another turn seven days later. Besides that, the road via the sea makes it more expensive. Armenian loaders had a hard time adapting to the situation, but currently they are once again in a state of chaos.
The group from the “Max Group” poultry company is stuck in one of the harbors of the Azovi Sea, while the rest are at the Poti harbor. According to company owner Khachik Manukyan, Russia doesn’t allow anyone to accompany the loader if the path is taken through Georgia, but the boat can’t move without someone to guide. The accumulated load isn’t thrown away in Poti because Russia hasn’t sent its coded containers to Georgia. Armenia’s products aren’t loaded at the harbor with the Georgian and Azeri coded containers. Each day of delay of the loading costs the company 2000 dollars. Besides that, nobody knows in which direction the boat is supposed to go. Last Monday, the boat started from Poti and made it to Novorosisk by Tuesday. It was then supposed to make the trip to Burgas. However, there is still no information. President of the International cargo-carriers of Armenia Herbert Hambartsumyan says that they have no information. Their cargo is also on the boat. “Nobody has gotten off that boat yet, so we can get some information,” said Mr. Hambartsumyan. It’s quite possible that Russia has prohibited receiving boats that have left from Georgia towards Novorosisk. It’s possible that the Georgian cargo is taken from the boat in Poti. It’s also possible that Georgia may not allow the boat to leave without its cargo, or accept any boates. Again, Armenia will suffer the most. True, Armenia will find another way-it won’t use the Russian Novorosisk, but rather, let’s say, the Ilyichyevisk harbor, but time is necessary for that. Armenia has to establish new economic ties.