The everlasting issue of Lars
Lars is again impassable. Or already passable or not. In short, everything is rather indefinite and unclear.
Yesterday news appeared on the official website of RA Transport, Communication and IT, that the Department of Roads of Georgian Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure informed that Stepantsminda-Lars highway as of 9:30, December 9 is passable only for light passenger vehicles using the snow chains, thus, trucks can’t move to Russia from Armenia and to the contrary direction.
News on Lars’s being passable or not are so frequently repeated, that it’s perceived as an ordinary phenomenon. Meanwhile the issue is much more serious, as it’s the only factual overland route connecting Armenia to Russia
3 days ago it was officially stated that as of 17:30, December 7 Stepantsminda-Lars highway is passable for all means of transport using the snow chains. The next day it was again closed.
Businessmen state that actually the highway wasn’t passable, a few lorries have been sent from Russia to Armenia, after which it was again impassable.
This slightly said unpleasant and annoying condition had concrete implications as well. Sputnik Gruzia, making reference to Georgi Meturidze, Head of the Department of Roads Georgian Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, informed that near Pasanur village of Mtskhet-Mtianet region, on the highway heading to Russian-Georgian border, as a result of accumulation of vehicles a Russian citizen has died from heart attack.
However, this isn’t all. Yesterday at around 15:00 we contacted hotline of (010-56-25-33) RA Ministry of Transport, Communication and IT and asked whether the highway was open. “The road is passable for all types of transportation using the snow chains,” was the reply, adding that there are lorry accumulations. In that case why is different information published on the Ministry’s website? Firstly, they clarified the website (mtc.am), then promised to find out the reason for that contrast.
Then we contacted cargo transporters, who earlier warned us about the issue, and they assured that the highway is impassable for lorries.
Then we again contacted the Ministry’s hotline and asked whether something was clarified. The reply was that the second information is published on the website on 14:30, however, as vehicle accumulation is rather large and probably issues may emerge, the information is being late.
To be more sincere, there was an impression, that the Ministry doesn’t trust the Georgian side.
However, this isn’t all. It turns out, that in this period, many called the Ministry’s hotline and the answer was given that the highway is passable. And this caused issues for the cargo transporters. Their customers—owners of the cargo, making reference to the hotline demand to deliver their cargo. From their perspective it’s also clear: one may import X-mas tree decorations and after the New Year nobody will buy their product. Condition of cargo transporters isn’t enviable as well, they suffer big losses: drivers waiting on the highway need to be paid, provided food, allotted extra money for working the vehicles (fuel) and etc.
Who is guilty for this? It seems—nobody, the road is being closed due to unfavorable weather conditions and no one may influence on the nature.
However, cargo transporters observe upsetting regularity. Particularly in the last 2 years (after Armenia’s membership to EEU) Lars has become more problematic. In the end of June Terek River overlfowed due to heavy rains and changed its direction flooding a part of Vladikavkaz highway. The only overland route connecting Armenia to Russia and other countries became impassable, causing issues for the cargo transporters and once again reminding how vulnerable we are in transport communication. Cargo transportations have been restored a month later. And it was the season for exporting apricot and a considerable part was spoiled halfway.
Now the reason is the snow. Upon information at our disposal, Armenian “Spayka” company is ready to provide cargo transportation by its equipment, however, the Georgian side doesn’t agree.
In short—a stalemate. Fortune of cargo transporters depends on nature caprices and decision by Georgian authorities.
However, the issue is even deeper. Lars highway basically has become a serious and periodically repeated issue for Armenia. It may be stated without exaggeration that this is an issue linked to country’s security and should receive final solution. However, there is an impression that Armenian authorities don’t so stress it or have the possibility to solve it.
One of the solutions is finding an alternative route. By the way, such a road doesn’t need constructing. Drivers say, that the road is in normal condition. It’s a bit longer, however, it’s safer and there is no threat for floods and may be exploited whole year, i.e. cargo transporters aren’t against using that road.
However, the point is, that it passes through South Ossetia. And it’s impossible to enter South Ossetia through Georgia out of geopolitical reasons.
By the way former Minister of Transportation Gagik Beglaryan stated in late June, that the Armenian government upholds negotiations with Georgian and Russian sides for an alternative route. But two days later spokesperson of the president of South Ossetia Hanna Yankovskaya stated that South Ossetia hasn’t received an application from Armenia on transit of Armenian lorries through its territory.
It should be stated that during the discussion launched within celebrations of 110th anniversary of AGBU a question was posed to Karen Karapetyan regarding the issue of Verin Lars, which had been impassable for 2 days. The question was posed by the representative of wine producer: Isn’t it possible to find solution with our neighbors? “We always have a possibility, we are holding negotiations at the moment, however, it’s a complicated issue,” the PM confessed. According to him the checkpoint is interesting for Armenia, but it needs investments to increase its carrying capacity. “However, as it’s a border of Russia and Georgia, we have the possibility—one of the sides agrees to make investments, the other isn’t so interested, but negotiations are underway,” he said.
Thus, no matter how regretful it is, we should get along, that we aren’t going to have another overland route with Russia and EEU besides Lars. And this means heavy snows may distort the potential of the market of 170 million.
P.S. By the way, as of yesterday, 17:00, the information hadn’t been updated at the website of RA Ministry of Transport, Communication and IT.
By Babken Tunyan
