A protest rally on Saturday is staged again at Armenia’s Bagratashen customs checkpoint, at the border with Georgia, and this has caused a huge traffic jam at the border.

Armenian traders who import goods from Turkey have blocked the entry and exit of this checkpoint, yet again.

They have been protesting for several days against the new procedure for customs clearance of the goods they import from Turkey.

As of January 1, the value of imports that are exempt from customs duties and taxes in Armenia has been reduced three times, while their weight—twice as much. 

These changes are pursuant to a respective decision by the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission—the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union which comprises Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Traders note that, in addition, customs officers do not permit them to even import up to 25kg of goods, saying that they show their Turkish visas. Also, the customs officers demand that the traders pay 4 euros per one kilogram of imported goods.

The Armenian traders had closed off the Bagratashen customs checkpoint on Tuesday evening, too. But, subsequently, it was reopened at the request of the director of the National Security Service of Armenia, Artur Vanetsyan.