What Is the Current Situation at the Bagratashen Customs House?

The situation at the Bagratashen customs house remains tense. Traders arriving by bus from Turkey told NEWS that they closed the border crossing around 11 AM because they are not being allowed to enter Armenia.

“There are currently 6 buses at the border that are ‘sealed’ and not allowing entry into Armenia. The law has changed, and instead of the previous allowed limit of 50 kg, now it’s permitted to bring in only 25 kg of goods without customs clearance, but they aren’t allowing even 25 kg to pass. They require us to have a Turkish stamp in our passports as proof that we are coming from Turkey. However, some goods were brought by the bus without passengers. The owners of the cargo received their goods from Georgian postal services and want to return to Armenia, but they are not being allowed. They say you must pay 4 euros per kg,” said one of the traders.

He emphasized that even those who have the Turkish stamp are still unable to enter Armenia because the buses are completely sealed, and it is impossible to separate any cargo.

Participants in the protest mentioned that around 5 PM they were allowed to proceed, but they do not know what awaits them next, as no one is addressing their concerns or answering their questions.

“We have been here since 9 PM last night. The customs officials say that our words hold no value. They are not giving any responses. At first, they said they would speak with representatives of the government and offer some solution, but now they are completely ignoring us. It’s a hopeless situation; the police are not paying attention to us. Just a moment ago, one of our passengers was hit by a vehicle while crossing the border. The police were present but did not approach, while we called for an ambulance for the passenger. We couldn’t even recognize them,” said one trader, adding that the police are very rude to them, threatening arrest if they do not clear the road, and there was even an attempt to kidnap one of the protest participants.

“We have come from Turkey with our luggage, up to 25 kg. We agreed that it would be 25 kg. There are people who have sent goods for their relatives from Turkey. The owners of the cargo came from Armenia, received their goods, and wanted to enter Armenia legally, but are not being allowed at the border. They say there’s no Turkish stamp, so we can’t pass. Since you don’t have the Turkish stamp, we cannot let you through; you must pay for customs clearance at 4 euros,” he said, adding that now that the road has opened, their hope rests on the customs officials making a decision regarding them.