Turkmenistan reportedly does not yet allow semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan to pass through its territory. Since the beginning of this month, only twelve Tajik trucks have been allowed to pass through Turkmen territory, according to the Ministry of Transport (MoT).
About 50 Tajik trucks have been stranded on Turkmenistan’s borders with Iran and Uzbekistan, an official source at a MoT told Asia-Plus in an interview.
Besides, the Turkmen authorities do not allow freight trains bound for Tajikistan to pass through Turkmen territory.
A source in Tajik Railways (Tajikistan’s state railway company) says more than 100 freight cars with oil products, food products, agricultural goods, building materials and various equipment bound for Tajikistan are stranded in Turkmenistan.
The Tajik Ministry of Transport has still failed to find out the reason why Turkmenistan does not allow transit of Tajikistan-bound cargo through its territory.
Recall, the Turkmen authorities have restricted passage of semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan through Turkmen territory again in early February.
Top manager of one of Tajik companies engaged in international freight shipping has confirmed on the basis of anonymity that trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan have not been permitted to pass through Turkmen territory for already several days. “Turkmen customs officers, however, do not explain the reason,” he said.
Freight shipping companies have applied to the Ministry of Transport with a request to resolve the problem of Tajik semi-trucks stopped on the Iranian-Turkmen and Turkmen-Uzbek borders.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Tajik Foreign Ministry has reportedly applied to the Turkmen counterparts on this issue and they have assured that they will find out the problem and reply as soon as possible.
As it had been reported earlier, dozens of semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan were stranded on Turkmenistan’s borders with Iran and Uzbekistan for almost a month in September last year. The Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan that time advised drivers of Tajik trucks stranded on Iran-Turkmenistan border to use alternate roads to return home.
Some sources said that taking Tajik trucks across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan and from there to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan would cost additional 1,200 U.S dollars for each truck.
