Georgia`s ambassador to Armenia listens to Armenian producers after  2-hour wait

ArmInfo.  A protest action involving wine and brandy producers and transport companies has been taking place at the Georgian Embassy in Armenia since 12:00. The vehicles have been standing at the Gezi terminal in Georgia for over a month, awaiting the results of a laboratory test conducted by the  transit country. The Georgian side has not provided any justification  or explanation on this matter.

As the protesters said, as a transit country, Georgia does not have  the right to detain a vehicle with cargo for a month or more and  conduct laboratory tests. The manufacturers do not mind inspecting  the cargo if there is any suspicion of smuggling, however, in the  case of transit, conducting an examination and detaining the vehicles  is unacceptable.

They reported that they had contacted the Armenian Ministry of  Economy at the deputy minister level. 

<We were only told that they are currently working on this issue. But  our first vehicle has been in Georgia for about a month, and in  total, we have 5 vehicles at the Gezi terminal. We do not understand  what this is due to. We do not understand how they can break customs  seals from transit cargo, take samples and keep the vehicles for more  than a month>, - asked one of the protesters.

Companies will suffer major financial losses not only due to the  cargo being idle, but also due to the breakdown of relations with  partners who are now waiting for the goods to be delivered.

After two hours of waiting, the Georgian Ambassador to Armenia  Georgiy Sharvashidze expressed his readiness to receive two  protesters to listen to their problems and comments.

A few days earlier, the Minister of Economy of Armenia Gevorg  Papoyan, touching upon the situation with the idleness of Armenian  cargo at the Gezi terminal, noted that relevant negotiations were  underway with Georgian partners.