ARMENIANS DROP TAXES FOR GEORGIAN CARGO CARRIERS

The Messenger, Georgia
June 19 2006

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According to Rezonansi, MPs of the Armenian parliament ratified the
Georgian-Armenian agreement on international auto transport. Both
sides signed an agreement on April 25 in Tbilisi. According to Armenian
Minister of Transport and Communication, Andranik Manukian, the aim of
this agreement is putting contract law in order between the two states.

According to the agreement, carriers from both countries are
released from transport and customs taxes, taxes on certain vehicles
will remain, however, Currently, owners of cars pay 10.000 dram
(approximately USD 20); owners of buses pay between 20 000 – 60 000
dram (USD 40-120) depending on the number of passengers; and owners of
trucks pay from 15 000 to 150 000 dram (approximately USD 36 to 360),
depending on size of the truck and cargo.

Manukian stated that these taxes would be abolished and this makes
it possible to intensify bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Georgia stopped taxing Armenian transport two years ago, while Armenia
had been continuing to collect taxes from Georgia. The paper noted
that neither Georgia nor Armenia have collected traffic taxes.