Georgian Railway denies reports on Russian attempts to transport sanctioned oil through Georgia
In its response, Georgian Railway said the fuel in the tanks was a property of a Kazakh company and loaded on train cars of the company itself. Photo: video grab.
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Georgian Railway has denied reports of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi channel about Russian energy giant Gazprom attempting to use the Georgian territory to transport products sanctioned following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mtavari Arkhi reported earlier on Tuesday a convoy of oil tanks bearing the Gazprom title was transporting “sanctioned oil” to Georgia’s Black Sea port of Batumi.
In its response, Georgian Railway said the fuel in the tanks was a property of a Kazakh company and loaded on train cars of the company itself.
The railway operator also said such carriages were “used often” by Kazakhstan, which usually sends cargo to Europe through the Batumi Port.
The Georgian Maritime Transport Agency has rejected a TV report that alleged a Russian tanker had been provided with services in Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi in circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
A prospect of sanctioned Russian products entering the European Union through Georgia is “inconceivable,” Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili said on Monday, noting “not only Georgia but also the EU has a lot of control” over preventing the scenario.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia has “categorically” declared that “any and all cargo”, including the goods in the list of international sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, is subject to “tight customs control” by the Georgian authorities.
The Ministry of Finance of Georgia said on Monday the information on Russia creating smuggling channels for sanctioned products using Georgian territory was “a completely baseless and absurd accusation.”