Gnel Sanosyan. There is problem with Armenia trucks’ passage through Upper Lars border checkpoint

Gnel Sanosyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia, commented on the situation at the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border, where around 1,500 Armenian trucks are waiting for their turn to clear this checkpoint.

"There is a problem. And, yes, there are trucks loaded with the same cargo; some of which pass, the other part does not. Colleagues are conducting the studying of a certain cargo and see certain problems," said Sanosyan, noting that the trucks mostly contain agricultural products.

To the question whether this problem has a political motive, the minister answered: "On the border, the Russian inspection body has seen certain specialized issues related to these products. The relevant bodies of Armenia also are working with these colleagues and entrepreneurs."

The Upper Lars motorway is closed on a regular basis due to adverse weather conditions. In this case, however, numerous experts state that the issue is political—although the Russian side argues that the matter is a violation of phytosanitary standards.

But according to experts, the situation will change after the construction of a major project by Georgia: the longest tunnel in the region—and which will lead to the Upper Lars checkpoint.