Georgian Customs holds Azerbaijani trucks for weeks, embassy steps in PHOTO

A group of Azerbaijani truck drivers transiting through Georgia has been unable to clear customs for several weeks, with those affected saying they have received no official explanation for the prolonged delays. In response, the Azerbaijani Embassy has submitted a diplomatic note to the Georgian authorities.

The drivers remain stranded at the Sarpi and Red Bridge border checkpoints, as well as at the Tbilisi Customs Clearance Zone, awaiting permission to continue their journeys, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

One of the drivers, Teymur Sultanov, said his trip to Batumi proceeded without incident until he reached the Sarpi border crossing, where his truck was detained and customs officials confiscated his passport, driver's license, and other documents.

"I have been on the customs territory for 15 days. They keep telling us only one thing: 'Wait.' When I ask for the reason, they don't answer. No one explains whether the problem is with the documents, the cargo, or the weight," Sultanov said.

Another driver, Eldaniz Mammadliyev, said he has been stranded in Georgia for more than a month after encountering similar difficulties. He was transporting a chemical substance manufactured in Kutaisi for use in Azerbaijan's metallurgical industry.

According to Mammadliyev, customs officials initially detained his truck for three days before directing him to another checkpoint, where the vehicle underwent an extensive inspection.

"They completely dismantled the truck, took all my documents, my passport, and my phone. Then, without any explanation, they said, 'You can go.' I asked, 'Go where?' They replied, 'We don't know,'" he said.

Mammadliyev said his passport was returned only after 20 days, while his truck remained dismantled throughout that period, forcing him to sleep outdoors.

"If the problem is with the cargo, unload it and let me go. But no one explains anything. I have now been in Georgia for about 45 days," he said.

Drivers Bahadur Aliyev and Iman Aliyev also reported being stranded in Batumi for several days as customs clearance remained stalled, saying Georgian officials had provided no explanation for the delays.

"We've been waiting in Batumi for several days. No one tells us when we'll be allowed to leave. They simply keep saying, 'Wait,'" Bahadur Aliyev said.

Iman Aliyev said all the required documentation had been submitted, but customs authorities had yet to clarify the reason for the hold-up.

According to the drivers, several Azerbaijani-registered trucks have also been detained at the Red Bridge border crossing. They said customs officials requested a special permit issued by Georgia's Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture. Although the permit was produced, authorities subsequently demanded that it be translated into Georgian.

Cargo owner Sahib Aliyev said that the permit had been issued by the Georgian ministry in 2023 and had since been used by hundreds of trucks transiting the country without incident. He noted that the same cargo had passed through Georgia without difficulty in March and April this year, as well as in October and December last year.

"I believe the current situation has arisen due to delays in document verification and bureaucratic confusion," Aliyev said.

The drivers also criticized the conduct of Georgian customs officials, alleging that they have received no formal information despite the prolonged delays and that some officials have responded to their inquiries dismissively, telling them only to "go and wait."

They called on the authorities to provide a clear explanation for the delays and specify any additional documents or procedures required to resolve the issue.

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia noted that it is monitoring the situation closely. The embassy said it had sent a diplomatic note to Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that the matter is being examined in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The drivers noted that Azerbaijani trucks have faced similar problems in Georgia before. However, they said the current case is more serious than previous incidents due to the unusually lengthy delays, lack of official explanations, and continued uncertainty.

By Vafa Guliyeva