Armenia benefits from Zemo Larsi checkpoint

In early spring the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint, the only land connection between Georgia and Russia, reopened. On May 22 it opened for all types of transport as the snow melted in the pass.

The Director of the Armenian forwarding company Apaven, Gagik Agajanian, has stated that in March-April around 500 vehicles crossed the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint and the number is increasing. He added that transporting cross-border goods through the Black Sea ports took 15-20 days through the checkpoint the time it takes 12 hours. He added however that transportation costs have not decreased significantly.

After the reopening of the checkpoint some Georgian politicians expressed a fear that Russia could use the Larsi checkpoint to transport military equipment to its base in the Armenian town of Gumri. Gagik Agajanian challenges this, saying that the Georgian side of the checkpoint is so well equipped with sophisticated technology that this is impossible to transport any kind of military equipment through there without reporting it to the Georgian side first.

Analysts suggest that one of the biggest Armenian export products is brandy, which is an excise product and therefore not transported through Larsi. Armenian exports to Russia will be mainly agricultural products, peaches, apricots etc.