Revenue Service rejects reports on customs procedure change, says sanctioned goods subject to “strict control”

Georgia's Revenue Service on Wednesday denied reports that said customs procedures had been only recently changed by Georgian authorities to ensure enforcement of international sanctions on Russia and Belarus, stressing “strict control” was in place to ensure their enforcement.

The body rejected a report by TV Pirveli that claimed export of expensive vehicles into Russia and Belarus - two countries targeted by international sanctions for the war in Ukraine - had only been subjected to restrictions recently.

It called the report “another lie and misinformation”, in reference to periodic media reports claiming failures in Georgian authorities’ enforcement of the sanctions, and said “no changes” had been made to related regulations.

[T]ransit, export and re-export are carried out in full compliance with international rules and regulations, and there is no evidence to the contrary”, it said.

The Service also said all types of goods included in the list of sanctions had been subject to “strict customs control” by domestic agencies since the imposition of the fourth package of sanctions on Russia, which banned export of luxury goods - including luxury cars and motorcycles - from G7 member states to Russia and Belarus.