Turkmenistan reportedly attributes its decision to ban passage of semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan through its territory to security problems.
“It was not Tajikistan to raise this problem. Turkmenistan has restricted passage of semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan through its territory and Turkmen authorities attribute their decision to restrict passage of semi-trucks with cargo bound for Tajikistan through its territory to security problems,” Mr. Khurhed Ziyoi, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President, told reporter in Dushanbe on February 11.
The problem of shipment of Tajik cargo by trucks via Turkmen territory has not yet been resolved despite numerous applications of Tajik authorities. Turkmen roads remain closed not only for Tajik trucking companies but also for freight shipping companies of other companies carrying cargo to Tajikistan.
Tajik trucking companies have found alternative itineraries to the Middle East to bypass Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and further to Iran and Turkey. But this itinerary has lengthened time of travel for vehicles heading to Iran but has shortened time of travel for vehicles heading to Turkey.
The work on resolving the Tajik-directed embargo problem was under way.
For the first time, Turkmenistan denied Tajik trucks permission to pass through its territory in September 2018.
Around 100 trucks either from Tajikistan or heading there had been standing idle on northern and southern border entry points into Turkmenistan since the start of September. A month later, the long-distance haulers were reportedly given the green light. The Ministry of Transport received notification from Turkmenistan that trucks could resume transiting on October 3, 2018.
In February last year, Turkmen authorities put ban on transit of Tajik cargo by trucks through its territory again.
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