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Checkpoints on Russian-Georgian border to start working 24/7 January 15

The daily capacity of the checkpoint will increase
Checkpoint at Verkhny Lars crossing on the North Ossetian section of the Russian-Georgian border ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Mukagov
Checkpoint at Verkhny Lars crossing on the North Ossetian section of the Russian-Georgian border
© ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Mukagov

VLADIKAVKAZ, January 14. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s multilane automobile border checkpoint Verkhny Lars and Georgia’s Kazbegi checkpoint will begin round-the-clock operation on January 15, the control service of the Russian checkpoint told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

“The daily capacity of the checkpoint will increase, it was urgently needed, as in 2013 about three million citizens and more than 870 transport vehicles were registered and let pass through the border,” a service spokesman said. According to him, taking into account the climate conditions, the movement of trailer and semitrailer freight motor transport and buses with more than 30 passenger seats through the checkpoint may be restricted until May 1.

“Passenger traffic across the Russian-Georgian border has considerably increased since the Georgian authorities a year ago unilaterally cancelled the visa regime with the RF, after which Russians started to visit inexpensive Georgian mountain ski resorts and make tours to Tbilisi,” the customs service said.

Freight traffic across the Russian-Georgian border on the Verkhny Lars border checkpoint increased after temporary restrictions on Georgia’s export to Russia of the Borjomi mineral water, wines and cognac, as well as low and high pest risk quarantine on products were lifted.

“The analysis of the available information shows that the traffic volume in the future will be only increasing as a result of the possible gradual restoration of ties between Russia and Georgia, building of trade-economic relations within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as in connection with Turkey’s possible refocusing on the ground route for the delivery of its goods to Russia,” the Verkhny Lars control service said.

The daily rated capacity of Verkhny Lars is up to 400 transport vehicles and 2,350 people.