A group of Azerbaijani truck drivers transiting through Georgia has been unable to clear customs for several weeks, news outlet Report.az reports.
The drivers claim that no official explanation has been provided regarding the reasons for the delays at customs checkpoints. In turn, the Azerbaijani Embassy has sent an inquiry to the Georgian side seeking clarification on the situation.
According to the publication, drivers have been waiting for a resolution for a long time at the Sarpi and Red Bridge border checkpoints, as well as at the Customs Clearance Center in Tbilisi. Drivers told journalists that the journey as far as Batumi went without any problems; however, at the checkpoint on the Turkish border, a driver’s vehicle was detained, and their passport, driver’s license, and other documents were confiscated.
“I have been at the customs facility for 15 days now. They tell us only one thing: ‘Wait.’ When I ask for the reason, they don’t answer. No one explains what the problem is—whether it is the documents, the cargo, or the weight,” driver Teymur Sultanov said.
Other long-haul truckers have faced similar issues.
The Azerbaijani Embassy in Tbilisi stated that the situation has been taken under control. The diplomatic mission noted that it sent an inquiry to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, and the matter is being examined jointly with competent state authorities.
Report.az notes that this is not the first time Azerbaijani trucks have faced a similar situation in Georgia. However, this time, the prolonged wait times, lack of official explanations, and uncertainty “cause much greater concern compared to previous incidents.”
