Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan and Russia have discussed international trucking as a joint intergovernmental commission convened in Baku.

Azerbaijan`s delegation at the event was headed by chairman of State Automobile Transport Service Elnur Abdullayev. Russia`s delegation was led by director of the Department of Motor and City Passenger Transport of the Ministry of Transport Alexey Bakirey.

Russia and Azerbaijan plan to open six new regular passenger bus routes, said Elnur Abdullayev.

Currently, there are nine regular bus routes for passenger transportation between Azerbaijan and Russia. “These are the approved routes Baku-Moscow, Baku-Krasnodar, Baku-Tolyatti, Baku-Kazan, Baku-St.Petersburg, Baku-Nizhny Novgorod, Ganja-Moscow and Baku-Stavropol,” Abdullayev said, adding that there are no problems observed in passenger transportation.

In turn, Deputy Director General of Rosavtotrans (Russian Agency of Automobile Transport) Ruslan Luzhetsky requested the Azerbaijani side for extension of the term of permission for the Russian carriers, which is currently issued for one year.

“This is a big problem for our carriers. The procedure of consideration and passing of documents takes 4-5 months. As a result, there are only some six months remaining for the real implementation of the transportation,” Luzhetsky said, asking to increase the term from one to five years.

There was also raised the question about the extension of a permit for transportation on the route Baku-Kazan, which has expired on September 27. The Azerbaijani side said that it has received the corresponding request and considers it.

There was stated that Russia is ready to increase up to 120 days the term of stay on its territory for Azerbaijani drivers engaged in cargo transportation. This was announced by Hidayat Aslanov, Head of Sector for international cooperation and transportation of the State Road Transport Service of Azerbaijan’s Transport Ministry.

Under existing rules, the citizens of Azerbaijan, including the drivers involved in the cargo transportation, may stay on the territory of Russia without permission up to 90 days.

“In accordance with the presidential decree, we addressed the Russian side with a request to increase the length of stay for carriers. A mechanism for the distinction of the drivers from ordinary citizens should be created soon,” Aslanov said.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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