On Tuesday evening, Armenian citizens who import goods from Turkey blocked the entry and exit of the Bagratashen customs checkpoint, at the border with Georgia.

These merchants complain that they had brought goods from Istanbul a week ago, but the Georgian side had not permitted them to transport these goods to Armenia.  

The matter had been resolved through the intervention of the Armenian ambassador to Georgia.

But arriving at the Bagratashen customs checkpoint, these merchants found out that they no longer could import 25kg cargo without paying customs duties and taxes.

As of January 1, 2019, the value of imports that are exempt from customs duties and taxes in Armenia has been reduced three times, while their weight—twice as much. 

These changes are pursuant to a respective decision by the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission—the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union which comprises Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.