Government will not compensate exporters for losses sustained after the closure of Upper Lars (video)
How can Armenian exporters take agricultural products to Russia after the closure of the Upper Lars Checkpoint, the only crossing on the Russian-Georgian border which is the main trade route to Russia? Without giving up the idea of having our own ferries, members of the Armenian government continue negotiations with the Russian side in search of alternative solutions, including rapid air transportation. “Naturally, it should be done at reasonable fees," says Minister of Economy Artsvik Minasyan. Companies transporting perishable goods have suffered great losses because of the closure of the crossing. The government is not going to compensate them for the losses. “It is a very expensive, serious and heavy burden. We are discussing the creation of a system that will allow transporting goods in a safer way, including refrigerated cargo,” the minister said. There have been many cases when the Russian side illegally demanded payments from Armenian exporters on the border. The minister says he has received many alarms about ‘Russian corruption.’ “Very often, illegal actions are taken against Armenian exporters and citizens. As a result of discussions we must create such mechanisms that will allow us to rapidly respond to any act of harassment by Russian authorities,” Mr Minasyan said. Speaking about the increase in airline ticket prices after the closure of the checkpoint, the minister said the issue is being studied by the State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition.
