Large Baggage in Akhalgori

Mari Otarashvili, Akhalgori

Akhalgori residents expect simplification of transportation across de-facto border and annulled restrictions on transporting cargoes to Akhalgori after the inauguration of the new president of Georgia.

There is endless queue of tracks at the de-facto border of South Ossetia towards. This time, they added motorcars (loaded with different cargoes) to the list of large tracks. Length of their chain on both sides – towards Tbilisi and Akhalgori – is several hundred meters. 

Last time, Russian soldiers, in order not to halt passengers for the queues, introduced new regulations: mini-buses no longer stay in the queue and directly drive towards the passengers’ registration booth. It is well-built building, with good maintenance and central heating (good air-conditioning in summer).

There are several Russian notifications put up on the registration booth, which inform passengers about required traveling documents and rules. The last notification is about cargo transportation. It states: “Based on the decree passed on June 18, 2013 in Tskhinvali, it is prohibited to transport products more than 50 kg, except personal belongings, to South Leningori across the South Ossetian state border.’

Despite this decree, everybody tries to take more than 50kg products to Akhalgori in portions. It is noteworthy that 50 kg (sometimes even more) cement or wheat flour is divided in the territory between Georgian and Russian checkpoints and Russian soldiers see it. However, they do not react on it. Nobody rebukes passengers why cargo is taken across the border in portions. Apparently, they also prefer to check divided baggage. 

Locals say it is easier to check small baggage than large ones. Moreover, the control on the de-facto border is very strict. In the past Russian soldiers superficially checked mini-buses and private motorcars (looked into saloons and asked drivers to open boots), now they check cars from under the engine with mirrors to see if anything is attached to it. 

People running business in Akhalgori and Tskhinvali usually take large amount of baggage to Akhalgori. They sell everything (construction materials, products and sometimes even cloths) at double prices. 

So, everybody thinks the purpose of prohibiting transportation of large amount of cargo to Akhalgori was to promote realization of products imported from Vladikavkas to Akhalgori. Since products from Tbilisi cost much cheaper than Russian ones, it seriously competes with the latter. 

In summer of 2013 Tskhinvali issued decree according to which vehicles with Georgian state numbers will be prohibited to cross de-facto border from September 18. According to the same decree, transportation of all sorts products was also prohibited except necessary personal items. De-facto government claimed the reason of prohibition was transportation of smuggled products “from Georgia to South Ossetia.”

The decree partly went into force from September 18: cars with Georgian state numbers can cross the border but passengers cannot take more than 50 kg baggage across the border.

Locals hope the new government will resolve this problem through negotiations with the Russian Government and South Ossetian de-facto government. 

“After inauguration we hope for the improvement of the situation. Now local people have to cope with many problems. Those, who have business here, have to spend hours on the checkpoint. Ordinary people want to make transportation rules simpler. I wish Akhalgori residents, who have relatives and houses here, were able to enter the district,” a local resident said.

Nothing is known what will be changed in this direction. As we found out, Tskhinvali is not going to change anything in near future.