Armenian alcohol producers seek international support for resolving  delays in Georgia

ArmInfo.For over a month, Armenian exporters of alcoholic beverages have been stuck at the Gezi terminal in Georgia. Without any justification or explanation from the Georgian regulatory authorities, Armenian freight carriers' customs seals are broken and samples of the produced goods are taken for laboratory testing without the necessary documentation.

And the  results of these tests are delayed for days and weeks, also without  any explanation. The actions of the Georgian side would be  understandable if the Armenian goods were intended for the Georgian  market. However, the territory of this country is only a transit  point for Armenian carriers, and according to the norms of the World  Trade Organization, as the exporters have previously noted, a transit  country does not have the right to detain cargo for laboratory  testing.

In light of the situation, the affected enterprises have sent  official letters to the European Bank for Reconstruction and  Development, the UN, the Eurasian Development Bank, the World Trade  Organization, as well as to the Russian Embassy in Armenia, the  National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Foreign  Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Economy of the  Republic of Armenia,  with a call to urgently assess the tense  situation regarding the transit of Armenian goods through the  territory of Georgia. They noted that due to such arbitrariness, they  are unable  to timely deliver goods to customers from third  countries.

The statement was signed by the following companies: Ararat Wine  Factory, Shahnazaryan Wine and Cognac House, Alco Alliance, Van777,  Aragats Wine and Cognac Factory, Arkon Trade, Abovyan Cognac Factory,  Samkon, Proshyan Cognac Factory and National Alco.