National Assembly (NA) opposition “Prosperous Armenia” faction MP Mikayel Melkumyan, and NA majority My Step faction deputy Armen Pambukhchyan on Tuesday visited the Bagratashen customs checkpoint on the border with Georgia to find out the reasons for the current long lineup of vehicles there, and about which numerous complaints are being made.

These MP were presented the situation on the spot, informing that, for example, it takes about 20 minutes for a 30-member tourist group to pass through this checkpoint.

As regards car importers, it was noted that over 600 imported cars enter Armenia each day, and four to five customs officers provide services to them. The inspectors added that it takes about 15 minutes for the customs clearance of each such car, and if there are 10 to 15 cars on every car carrier trailer, it would take 100 to 150 minutes to have all of them pass through this checkpoint.

Melkumyan, for his part, stated that the number of cars being imported to Armenia has virtually doubled this year.

“If it continues so, the number of cars being imported this year can pass 140 thousand,” he added.