Hundreds of cars have been stuck on the Georgian Military Highway linking the South Caucasus countries with Russia, as the Georgian authorities suspend traffic due to freezing and high danger of avalanches. Drivers complain of unbearable conditions and greed of some local residents who sell essential goods for extra high prices.
The Transport Department of Georgia informed on Sunday that the traffic on Gudauri - Kobi section of Tbilisi-Vladikavkaz highway is suspended. Heavy trucks and big passenger buses are banned from the road temporarily due to freezing and high danger of avalanches, the Department announced. Meantime, the Georgian Military Highway is of vital importance for Armenia, first, as it is the only road linking Georgia and Armenia with Russia because of the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-South Ossetian conflicts.
The Infrastructure Ministry of Georgia charged opening special food and heat points on the highway for the drivers.
Last week, Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Transport and Communication Minister of Russia, Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission Maksim Sokolov discussed measures to speed up the procedures of customs clearance of cargoes and transport means at the Upper Lars border crossing.