EXPORT OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS FROM ARMENIA BY KAVKAZ-POTI FERRY NOT ALLOWED

Noyan Tapan
March 19, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. A delegation headed by the deputy head
of the RF customs service Leonid Shornikov is in Armenia in order
to discuss some issues related to customs control of goods liable
to excise tax, in particular, issues related to transportation of
alcoholic drinks via Kavkaz-Poti route. The delegation members on
March 19 met with the chairman of the RA Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, the deputy head of the RA State Customs Committee (SCC)
and several exporters.

The deputy head of the RA SCC Gagik Khachatrian said that the
exporters of alcoholic drinks complain that they encounter problems
in transporting their goods by Kavkaz-Poti ferry. According to a
representative of the Yerevan Brandy Company, transportation of
alcoholic drinks from Armenia by this route is not allowed – in
accordance with a requirement of the Russian law.

He added that alcoholic drinks are transported to Russia only through
the port of Novorossiysk, which does not enable to export a large
number of goods because only one ferry operates in this direction.

L. Shornikov said that they will consider the issue and find a solution
to it.

In the words of G. Khachatrian, the SCC will soon print bar codes on
the boxes of exported alcoholic drinks which will prevent forgery of
such goods.