Armenia to reconstruct border checkpoints

On February 17, the Armenian government adopted a decision to reconstruct and renovate three border checkpoints at the Georgian-Armenian border – Bagratashen, Bogavan and Bavra. Bagratashen is the busiest checkpoint, through which 419 000 people and 134 000 tonnes of cargo entered Armenia in 2010. It is 220 km from Yerevan. Bogavan checkpoint is 30 km from Stepanavan and 80 000 people were registered crossing it last year and 8 000 tonnes of cargo also passed through it. Bavra checkpoint was crossed by around 58 000 tonnes of cargo and 541 000 people in 2010. This is the route Armenians take to go to and from Batumi. The Armenian side stated that it is a priority for the country to improve the security, infrastructure and management of its border crossings.