Past daily of Armenia writes as follows: Dozens of [Armenian] trucks loaded with wood, liquefied gas, and coal have been standing at the Georgia-Armenia border checkpoints for more than a week now.

According to the [Armenian truck] drivers, the Georgian side has effectively blocked the entry of cargo in the direction of Armenia. According to the drivers, they are internally being demanded 600-700 USD from each vehicle. “They just want money without giving any reasons. And no one from Armenia is saying anything either, we don’t know what will happen,” the drivers note.

The vehicles have been standing at the border since February 12. It is about cargo of strategic importance: fuel, energy carriers, timber, which directly affect the stability of prices and supplies in the domestic market [of Armenia].

According to our sources, the issue has been raised at the level of interstate contacts, but without a clear result. The Georgian minister of economy, who recently visited Armenia, reportedly gave non-specific, formality answers on the issue, effectively avoiding a clear position. There has been no public clarification or official statement from the Armenian side either.

Armenian companies suffer financial losses every day in the form of penalties arising from stopping, service, time, and violation of contractual obligations. The companies have effectively found themselves in uncertainty, and the market is at risk of possible shocks.

According to our information, there have also been selective interventions within the country regarding the issue. Our sources claim that one of Armenia’s highest-ranking officials personally mediated with the Georgian leadership regarding the issue of the cargo belonging to one of the ruling party MPs. It turns out that the issue is being resolved not on a systemic, but on an individual basis, for “their own,” while other drivers continue to remain at the border.

Until all this, the Ministry of Economy of Armenia has not presented any visible actions. Instead, the [economy] minister’s public activeness is limited to publishing statistical data on social media. However, the issue here is not about numbers. It is about people, businesses, and supply chains. If an artificial barrier is formed at the border, then this is not only a problem for individual companies, but also for the country’s economic security.

In this situation, a clear answer is needed: who and why are demanding the aforementioned $700? Is there an official decision from the Georgian side? And what concrete steps is the Armenian government taking?

In the meantime, [Armenian truck] drivers standing at the [Georgia-Armenia] border continue to wait, paying not only money at their own expense, but also facing collapse due to the inaction of the [Armenian] state.