Video: Export Truck Drivers Protest in Yerevan

Representatives of Armenian freight forwarding companies are holding a protest in the Shengavit administrative district of Yerevan (Charbakh). Their aim is to draw the government's attention to the issues faced in the industry.

“In freight transportation, there are export and import values, and these values vary from country to country. In one country, it might be expensive, in another it might be cheaper, with one cost covering another. In our country, exports are very cheap—only pennies—while imports cover the costs. In Georgia, however, exports are expensive, and imports are cheap,” says Aleksan Hovakimyan, the director of one of the freight transport companies.

He adds that the situation began to spiral out of control when Turkish citizens started opening Georgian freight transportation companies in Georgia, bringing in Turkish drivers, who, along with other Georgian companies, entered the Armenian market as third-country carriers.

“This is compounded by the transit of second-country shipments by Turkish carriers from Turkey to Armenia. We are unable to enter their country, and Turkish vehicles travel to various Turkish regions, where they also engage in third-country freight transport at very competitive prices. They benefit from this, come here, unload in Armenia, and exit to Turkey through Gyumri and Akhalkalaki. They are now joined by Kyrgyz drivers who come to Russia, unload their cargo there, pick up new cargo to Armenia, unload in Armenia, and return via the same route to Turkey. Belarusian drivers have also joined them,” explains Hovakimyan.