Reconstruction of Upper Lars checkpoint`s lanes to be completed by  June 15 - Mishustin

ArmInfo.Reconstruction of the lanes of the Upper Lars checkpoint will be completed by June 15.

According to Russian media, Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail  Mishustin announced  at a meeting with the head of the Armenian  government Nikol Pashinyan.

As acting head of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian  Federation Ruslan Davydov informed, by June 22, it is planned to  eliminate the queue of cars.

"Dear Nikol Vovayevich, before meeting you yesterday, I met with  Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev, we discussed issues in detail,  including the reconstruction of the Upper Lars checkpoint, he made  appropriate promises to complete all work by June 15, and this, as  far as I understand, means four more lanes," Mishustin said.

Then the head of the Russian Cabinet of Ministers gave the floor to  Ruslan Davydov, who said that if the Ministry of Transport surrenders  the road lanes by June 15, then the traffic jam at the checkpoint  will be eliminated within a week.

Pashinyan stressed that this is good news. "To be honest, I don't  even believe that this is possible," the Prime Minister of Armenia  said. Pashinyan clarified how much the throughput will increase after  the reconstruction.

Davydov said that there will be 39 lanes, 15 of them for trucks.  "Before the reconstruction, we reached an unprecedented level of  1,200 trucks per day in two directions and 3,500 cars. Now we expect  that if there were 1,200, then we should reach 1,500 trucks a day,"  said the acting Head of the Customs Service.  Davydov noted that even  under the conditions of reconstruction, Upper Lars is the most active  checkpoint of all.

"Thank you, Mikhail Vladimirovich, I know that when you promise  something, it comes true, and I am very happy about it. Thank you  very much," Pashinyan said.

During the meeting, Mishustin noted that Russia values fraternal  relations with Armenia, which are strategic and allied in nature. He  conveyed to Pashinyan greetings from the President of the Russian  Federation Vladimir Putin, he also conveyed good and sincere wishes  to the President of the Republic.

"We sincerely value our fraternal relations, they are of a strategic  and allied nature. Today, trade, economic and investment cooperation  between Russia and Armenia is developing actively, dynamically,  despite the illegal economic sanctions imposed by a number of  unfriendly states," Mishustin said.

He said that in January-April the trade turnover between Moscow and  Yerevan increased by 96% and amounted to almost 140 billion rubles.  "Of course, it is important to maintain this positive trend and reach  new record levels in mutual trade," the Russian prime minister said.

More than 4,500 Russian companies successfully operate in Armenia,  and the accumulated investments exceed 46% of the total volume of  foreign investments in the Armenian economy. "It is necessary to use  the existing opportunities to increase trade and investment, and, of  course, our joint intergovernmental commission is solving this  problem," Mishustin said.

He noted that Russia is interested in launching new joint projects in  the energy, mining, digitalization, and agro-industrial sectors.  "Russian companies are ready to offer advanced solutions, including  in the areas of e-government, smart, safe cities, transport  infrastructure. There are a number of projects," he said.

Mishustin also dwelled on the issue of unblocking transport  communications in the Transcaucasus. "In accordance with the  agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, we  are systematically working to unblock economic and transport ties in  the Transcaucasus. The establishment of new infrastructure routes is  generally in the interests of all states in the region," Mishustin  said.