Fifth President Zourabichvili condemns blocking of Armenian cargo

Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, has condemned the blocking of Armenian cargo at Georgian customs checkpoints, warning that the move undermined centuries-old ties between Georgia and Armenia.

Posting on the social platform X, Zourabichvili called on the government to act as “a true partner” rather than a source of pressure.

“Georgia should be a true partner, not a channel for pressure,” she wrote. “Such actions harm trust and regional economic stability. This must stop now.”

Her comments follow reports from Armenia’s service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that hundreds of Armenian trucks carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia have been halted in Georgia for more than a week. The delays have caused LPG prices in Armenia to soar by over 40% in recent days.

“Our drivers have been stuck there for the last eight or nine days, and there are still no signs that the Georgians will let them through,” a representative of an Armenian gas importing company told RFE/RL. He said approximately 500 trucks remain stranded at Georgian customs terminals, with no official explanation provided.