President Serzh Sargsyan conducted a working visit to Tavush marz to participate at the official opening of the newly constructed Bagratashen border check-point and to familiarize with the preparation works for the construction of the Armenian-Georgian Friendship Bridge. Present at the ceremony was delegation headed by the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili who has arrived to Armenia for that occasion.
Also present at the ceremony were the RA Minister of Transportation, Communications and Information Technologies Vahan Martirossian, Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan, Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharian and Ashot Hovakimian, Chairman of the RA State Revenue Committee Vardan Harutyunian, Head of Cooperation Section of the EU delegation in Armenia Hoa-Binh Adjemian, UN Permanent Coordinator in Armenia, UNDP Permanent Representative in Armenia Bradley Busetto, Head of the regional representation of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the South Caucasus Sebastiaen Husson de Sampigny, representatives of the state border management bodies, international organizations, and members of the diplomatic corps.
The process of modernization of the RA state border check-points commenced back in 2010 through the Presidential order on the adoption of the RA border security strategy and overall administration of the state border, which in 2011 was followed by the adoption of the program of steps for 2011-2015 aimed at the implementation of that strategy. The program envisaged in order of priority the modernization of three border check-points – Bagratashen, Bavra, and Gogavan.
To modernize the border check-points located at the northern border of the Republic, in August 2012 the Government of Armenia and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed the Program of Modernization of the Bagratashen, Bavra and Gogavan check-points on the RA state border. The deadline for the modernization of the mentioned above check-points was divided into two stages: the first stage envisaged the modernization of the Bagratashen and Gogavan check-points, and the second stage – the modernization of Bavra. Works at the Bavra check-point are still in progress. From the reconstructed and modernized Gogav check-point on the RA state border, the First Vice-Chairman of the State Revenue Committee Samvel Avetikian through the visual communication reported to the President of Armenia that technical start to Gogavan check-point has been received and the check-point is functioning normally.
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All border services have occupied corresponding working areas, and the border and customs inspection regime is carried out in accordance with the established procedures. The President of Armenia stressed the importance of ensuring a normal operational regime of the check-points after their technical opening, necessity for all bodies stationed there to provide high quality services in line with modern standards. He underscored that the first impression about our country is being shaped there, at the check-points.
The total budget of the program is 52.13 million Euros. The main objective of the program is to promote free movement of people and goods through the border, ensuring at the same time border security, to improve bilateral, as well as regional cooperation, and to modernize three check-points – Bagratashen, Bavra and Gogavan, in accordance with the requirements of the Armenian law, international standards and principles, and in line with the principles of the comprehensive administration of the borders. The modernization of the check-points at the state border is expected to raise the living standards of the local population considering that temporary jobs were created during the construction period, while fully operational check-points will create also permanent jobs which will provide for the regular economic activities at the check-points. Problems of communication and transportation for the population will be addressed too.
After the official opening ceremony of the Bagratashen check-point, President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili visited the site for the construction of the Armenian-Georgian Friendship Bridge and familiarized with the preparation works which were introduced by the RA Minister of Transportation, Communications and Information Technologies Vahan Martirossian and Georgian Deputy Minister for Economy and Sustainable Development Genady Arveladze.
The bridge on the territory of the Sadakhlo-Bagratashen check-point at that Armenian-Georgian state border was constructed on the Debed River back in 1960 and and no longer can serve the purpose. Thus, it was decided to construct a new, modern bridge in accordance with international standards. Towards that end, the governments of the Armenia and Georgia signed an agreement which entered into force on June 17, 2015.
The construction of the new bridge on the Debed River is done in the framework of the program of modernization of the northern corridor of the Republic of Armenia and through the funds provided by the agreement signed between the RA and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with the co-financing by the governments of Armenia and Republic of Georgia. The total amount of the provided credit is 10,3 million Euros. The construction works for the bridge are coordinated by the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental joint commission.
The construction works of the bridge, which will link Armenia and Georgia, will commence on 2017 when the results of international bidding for the technical control consultant and the contractor and the companies – winners for the engineering and construction of the bridge are announced. According to the responsible officials, the biddings have been announced and carried out in the framework of the agreement signed between Armenia and Georgia, through the joint efforts of the two countries as well as through the EBRD electronic procurement platform which is an unprecedented process in the history of cooperation of the two countries. The bridge is expected to facilitate cargo transportation and to improve the quality of services for the passengers; it will save time and ensure a safe and comfortable movement through the border check-points. It will also raise the quality of services provided to the passengers and cargo transport, will save time and facilitate the trade with Georgia, Russia, and European countries.