News.am, Armenia
March 6 2018
Armenia provincial governor: We will try to solve problem quickly so that product reaches Russia market
The residents of Ohanavan village of Armenia’s Aragatsotn Province, and who on Tuesday blocked the road leading to this rural community, have met with Aragatsotn Governor Ashot Simonyan.
After this talk, the villagers told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the governor promised to resolve the matter as soon as possible. In their words, they will wait and see how this issue will be resolved. Until then, however, they will not block the aforesaid road again.
Speaking to Armenian News-NEWS.am, Governor Simonyan likewise assured that Armenia is working so that the fruits of these villagers reach the Russian market as soon as possible.
“The requirements have been toughened during the agreement reached between us and Russia,” he said. “At this moment we have a closed Upper Lars section. We will try to solve this problem quickly so that the product reaches Russia’s market.”
Ohanavan residents say Russia is not permitting vehicles with fruits from Armenia to enter its territory via the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Georgia-Russia border, and therefore they are unable to export their agricultural produce to Russia.
According to the villagers, their vehicles are at the aforementioned border for the past eleven days, they are not allowed to cross the border, and as a result, their fruits are rotting inside the vehicles.
As a sign of protest, the Ohanavan residents had blocked the road leading to their rural community, on Tuesday morning.