Russia Touts Georgia’s Role in Overcoming Sanctions
Russia’s Federal Customs Service (FCS) announced a “breakthrough” in overcoming Western sanctions and mentioned booming trade through Georgia a case in point.
Ruslan Davydov, the acting head of the FCS, stated, “I believe that this year we will exceed 15 million tons of turnover in the North Caucasus. Only in the Verkhny Lars has an increase in cargo turnover of more than 20%”. Davydov emphasized that “the Verkhny Lars [Zemo Larsi-Kazbegi border] is a strategically important section of an international transport corridor “North-South.”
According to Davydov, FCS employees in the North Caucasus region handled 5.6 million tons of cargo in both directions in 5.5 months last year. In the same period this year, the volume reached 7.8 million tons.
The FCS noted that due to infrastructure improvements, the average number of trucks crossing the border daily has increased to about 1.2 thousand, compared to less than a thousand before the reconstruction. According to Davydov, one car or truck crosses the border every minute. The Verkhny Lars (Zemo Larsi)-Kazbegi border crossing currently has 39 lanes, including 12 lanes for trucks, two for buses, one reserve lane, and 24 for cars.
In a related development, according to Kommersant, Georgia has overtaken Italy as the leading exporter of wine to Russia, with a 63% jump in shipments totaling 24.15 million liters in the first five months of this year.
Also Read:
- 04/07/2011 – Georgia Makes Available Visa for Russian Citizens at Larsi
- 08/06/2009 – FM: ‘Tbilisi Waits for Moscow’s Response on Larsi Border Crossing’
- 01/04/2008 – Russia to Reopen Larsi Border Crossing Point ‘Soon’
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
