State Customs Committee (SCC) rejects Turkish drivers' accusations of bribes at the border

Baku/04.05.21/Turan: The Azerbaijani press published complaints from the drivers of Turkish heavy vehicles and the owner of a Turkish transport company, reporting bribery at the Azerbaijani customs.

When entering Azerbaijan at the Krasny Most checkpoint, Turkish drivers are charged a legal payment of $ 315, while at the Georgian border they are charged only $ 61.

In addition to legal payments, customs officials demand bribes, find fault with demanding a separate payment for the transport of flammable substances, which is not available in other countries, said Turkish drivers of heavy trucks. If you do not give the Azerbaijani customs officer everything that he requires from the driver, his car will get stuck at the border for 5-6 days. Even after giving the customs officers everything they require, Turkish drivers spend up to 5 hours at the border to draw up the necessary documents, the drivers report.

Turan sent a request to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan with a request to respond to the claims of Turkish carriers. In a response letter, the SCT reported that the press publishes erroneous and untrue articles about what is happening at the customs. The SCC emphasizes that all payments at the border are legal, in accordance with the Tax Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the European Agreement on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. In this case, the certificate on the degree of hazard of the cargo issued by the manufacturer is taken into account.

The letter also says about levying road tax from foreign drivers, in accordance with Article 210 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the amount of this tax is related to the length of the journey, the weight of the cargo and the car, and the time spent in the country. 

Legal opportunities to exempt freight carriers from paying taxes and duties apply.

The State Customs Committee informs that the bilateral agreement on international transportation concluded by the governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan does not provide for exemption from the payment of road tax.

The impossibility of collecting payments that are not provided for by law, as well as the creation of artificial obstacles before the passage of goods through customs posts, is separately emphasized. The SCC announces its readiness to conduct an investigation on specific cases, informing the public about it.

The State Customs Committee is surprised that over 20 years of cargo transportation between Turkey and Azerbaijan, only in 2021 the drivers of the neighboring country report discontent. 

The response from the State Customs Committee ends with an assurance of the strength and inviolability of fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey. — 0—