On Saturday Russia closed its border passing point on the border of Georgia. According to the Russian official information, the reason is the reconstruction going on in the passing point and they say that it may take a month. Georgia thinks it has to do with politics.
“People just don’t close the border to reconstruct passing points without notifying beforehand”, noted Georgian prime-minister Zurab Noghaideli.
This is very bad for Armenia, because most of Armenia’s import and export is transported through this border point. Recently, Armenia exports huge capacities of apricot to Russia. Armenia also imports food, clothing and glass products from Russia (through Lars). We were informed from the Armenian ministry of agriculture that on the day of closing the Lars border passing point, 11 Armenian trucks full of apricot were waiting in line to pass the border. Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan was also in Georgia at the time. We were informed from the ministry of agriculture that due to the efforts of the Armenian prime minister those cars passed the border through the Zarmand passing point of Southern Osya. But we were also informed that because of the Georgian-Osyan conflict Armenians can’t pass the border through that point and this was just an exception. Currently Armenia has over 2.700 tons of apricot ready for export. Armenia is planning to export that apricot by ships from Poti Harbor of Georgia to Novorossiysk city of Russia. RA prime minister said in Georgia that we don’t have other ways and have to export our products that way until the border is opened again. As for that ship, it comes to Poti only once a week (on Mondays). On the one hand, if Armenian cargo is transported to Poti that day and then transported to Novorossiysk by the mentioned ship, it can reach its destination very soon and without any damages. On the other hand, if Armenian trucks, especially those carrying apricot, wait for several days until the arrival of the ship or don’t find enough place to charge that cargo, it is evident that all agricultural products (apricot) will be spoiled. Carriers say that the ship loads Bulgarian and Russian cargo first, than Ukrainian and Georgian cargo, and than at the end – Armenian cargo. In such conditions Armenian cargo may be refused to be loaded on the ship and may be spoiled in the waiting line.
Since the passing point was closed, it is the fourth day that the Armenian and Georgian trucks have changed their path and driven to Poti harbor, and the Russian trucks – to Novorossiysk, and they are all waiting for the arrival of the cargo ship. It is evident that Armenians, Georgians and Iranians are waiting for the moment when they will be able to transport their cargo. Now we can say that there will be long lines waiting for loading on the cargo ship that goes through the following route: Poti- Novorossiysk – Burgas – Poti. Armenian cargo may not be loaded on the ship and may wait for its turn to be transported to Russia too long.
These days two cars belonging to “TIR” cargo transportation company were planning to cross the Russian – Georgian border. One of these two trucks had to carry metallic parts for a food production company. At the time, the head of the mentioned company was asking the manager (H. Hambardzumyan) of the mentioned transportation company to look for new ways to transport their cargo to the place of destination in Armenia as soon as possible. The only way H. Hambardzumyan sought possible was ship transportation. Tomorrow the mentioned ship will reach Novorossiysk from Poti and then will continue its trip to Burgas city of Belgium. If the mentioned truck doesn’t reach Novorossiysk by tomorrow and then if the cargo is not loaded on the ship on July 20-21, the Armenian food company will have much losses this year. The head of the Armenian cannery company says that in this season they are very busy and they have huge capacities of fresh fruit in their depots, and if the mentioned metallic parts don’t reach their company soon, their fruit will be spoiled and they will have huge losses. He also said that if the mentioned materials were late for two more weeks, they would not need them any more. Besides that, the transportation company has to spend more money now, because their trucks have to turn back and drive to Novorossiysk, and after that they have to pay $1.000 extra to load their cargo on the ship. In fact, currently Armenia is going through difficulties in importing products and it depends on Russia’s will now. It is hard to say why Russia decided to close the border and reconstruct it right when we are in the middle of this high season of cargo transportation. Furthermore, in winter the border is closed for 2-3 months. Does Russia punish Georgia or Armenia? In spite of all that Georgians say and argue that Russia closed the border because of their political conflicts only, it is really bad for Armenia too. As a result of closing the border our country and our businessmen will have more losses than those of Georgia. By closing the border Russia punishes Armenia more than Georgia. At least, Poti harbor belongs to Georgians and they have a privilege of using its services. Russia knows that very well and now cheats and punishes its strategic partner and outpost. As for Armenian authorities, they are not brave enough to make Russia open the border.
Anyway, with the purpose of not falling into a very bad transportation situation and crisis H. Hambardzumyan recommends the following: “Now people call me and ask me what to do. I think there is only one solution to that problem: our country should buy a ship and have its own ship that will transport the cargo. Otherwise we don’t have any other solutions. Who can make Russia open its border? It is their border and they can do whatever they like to with it. I have always said that Armenia should have its own cargo ship, which will carry cargo from Poti to Novorossiysk. Cargo carriers are not able to pay so much money for that. But if Armenia obtains a ship, it will be very good for Armenian companies because besides them, other companies from Georgia will also pay for transporting their cargo”.
“I have always said that we should think about opening our borders”, says head of the Armenian businessmen’s and producers’ union, Arsen Ghazaryan.
While people are proposing different recommendations, the RA ministry of transportation and communications informs citizens that since the Armenian prime minister is in Georgia and recommends Armenians to transport their cargo by ships from the harbor of Poti, they can’t say anything else. The prime minister has not returned to Armenia yet.
We asked the RA president’s press-secretary Viktor Soghomonyan to give us information, to which he replied, “I can only say that we have informed about the situation to the president and he has instructed the relevant bodies to discuss the problem with Russia”.