Expert revealed the secret of a receipt issued to Iranian road carriers and published in the networks

Baku/14.09.21/Turan: The Azerbaijani public took interest in the the social network news about collection of monetary fees from Iranian truck drivers following the Azerbaijani 21-km section of the Gafan-Gerus highway. Azerbaijani customs officers have been taxing Iranian trucks, mainly fuel carriers, since September 11, 2021. The customs officers are guarded by four sub-machine gunners from the Rapid Response Regiment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan.

The press service of the State Customs Committee does not respond to phone calls. Yesterday, the SCC made some clarity stating that according to Article 210 of the Tax Code of Azerbaijan, vehicles of foreign states entering/leaving the country are taxed. They are obliged to pay a road tax, as well as a state duty for international transportation within the country.

There were some uncertainties in a photo of the receipt published in Iranian networks. It shows that the receipt comes from the southern department of the State Customs Committee. The question is that the Gubadly region where the State Customs Committee post on the Gerus-Gafan road is positioned, is located in the south-west of Azerbaijan.

 An expert in customs operations who did not wish to be named told Turan that the photo of the receipt on payment of road tax in the amount of 51 manats and payment for a form permitting transit transportation through another country was posted on social networks. In the driver's environment, it is called "dasvol" -  transport licence worth 171 manats.

It should be added that "the customs departments of the countries exchange forms of this sort. For example, the Azerbaijani SCC provides Iran with 1000 forms, and Iran transfers the same amount to our SCC. Note that each country provides its carriers with these forms, so they cross the border without paying. However, foreign drivers that have no these forms pay 171 manats in Azerbaijan. A different tariff is applied in Iran,” the expert explained.

According to him, there is no reason to believe that the fees are levied on those Iranian cars that follow to Karabakh (this version is spread on social networks; however, it is not confirmed by the State Customs Committee statement).

According to the Law of Azerbaijan, all foreign cargo vehicles entering the territory of our country with transit cargo must comply with rules and pay this tax. As is known, tolls are collected on a part of the road located in the Gubatly region of Azerbaijan.

When asked why the form belongs to the main customs department of the southern region, the expert explained as follows: the main office of this department is located in Astara, it controls customs posts in Masally, Lankaran, Bilasuvar, Khudaferin. In considering that no department of this type nor appropriate customs station have so far been created in the liberated territories, this section is served by the southern regional department.

It has to be noted that there is also the western regional administration with the center in Ganja, all customs posts on the border with Georgia are subordinated thereto. Also, there is the northern administration in Khachmaz, so all posts on the Russian border are subordinated thereto.

In all probability, workers from the southern regional department were sent to Gubadly," the expert explained. -0—