Georgia, Tbilisi, 31 January / corr. Trend N. Kirtskhalia / The Railway of Georgia do not confirm or deny the information in the press about the cancellation of the privileged tariffs for the transit traffic for Armenia from 1 March. "If there is any decision by the Railway of Georgia Open Joint Stock Company on the cancellation of the transit tariffs to Armenia, we will inform the public of our decision in an appropriate way," the Railway of Georgia said to Trend.
According to the Armenian mass media, Irakli Ezgubaya, the general manager of the Georgian Railway held a meeting on 26 January where he informed the Armenian side of the cancellation of the privileged tariffs for the transit traffic from 1 March functioning within the framework of the Tariff Agreement of the railway offices of the CIS member states. Particularly, the 17% privileged tariffs for the liquid consignment and 22% tariffs for the dry cargo will be canceled. "The explanation is very simple, the breaks were meant for the Armenian company, but not for the Russian Railway who became concessionaire of the Armenian Railway."
The only railway connection Armenia with the outer world goes through Georgian territory. Georgia introduced 1% to 20% tariffs for the Armenian transit traffic while the similar tariffs total to 50% for Azerbaijani traffic transits.
The Russian Railway won the tender on the giving into Armenian Railway into the concessionaire management. Russian Railway plans to invest $570 mln to $2.15 bln to the Armenia Railway.