Armenia’s Transport Ministry has proposed its Russian colleagues to open a separate corridor for EEU cars in Upper Lars checkpoint. 

First Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication, Artur Arakelyan, told the aforementioned to Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent.

To the question on whether the road will have to be widened or a separate lane will be selected on the operating road, Arakelyan said that the proposals are still being discussed.  The landscape complexities will also be considered in choosing the best option. 

“As you know, the road on the Georgian-Russian border is pressed between two mountains, where a river flows. The conditions are very harsh there in winter; spring-fall aren’t easy either. But we have already studied the location and made proposals. That’s why I think the decisions will be taken quite soon. I can’t say when, since the territory is Russian, and thus it’s up to them to decide,”Arakelyan added.

For the same reason, it’s difficult for the Armenian side to speak about the route of the corridor and where it will begin – on the neutral line or already on the Russian side, the Deputy Minister noted.

The passage of vehicles from Armenia via Upper Lars has become significantly faster due to the ban on import of Turkish goods and also entrance of Ukrainian trucks to Russia. Nevertheless, a separate corridor will allow to save time on the passage of vehicles also in the long term.