Opposition Protests Disrupt Georgian-Armenian Checkpoints

Last week, the Armenian capital Yerevan experienced wide-reaching protests by opposition supporters when Former President Serzh Sargsyan was appointed Prime Minister in a move generally seen as undermining the democratic process of the country.

Even outside the capital, the Armenian opposition arranged street blockades and called upon people to go to the streets to voice their anger. The Armenian-Georgian border town of Bagratashenshi was also affected by these protests, hindering the flow of traffic between the two countries.

According to Armenian sources, cars, buses and trucks are havong difficulties accessing the customs area at the border, vital to the declaration of goods. Without this procedure, the cargo is not allowed to enter the other country, delaying business transactions.

Problems can only be seen on the Armenian side, as the Georgian government confirmed the flawless access to Georgian customs checkpoints.

Former President Sargsyan's ascension to the PM office is highly contested. Sargsyan governed the country with an authoritarian hand the previous decade before he changed vital laws to transfer presidential powers to the office of PM. As he was obstructed to run a third time for president due to constitutional restraints, the prime ministership allows him to legally continue to govern the country.

By Benjamin Music