Armenia-Georgia shuttle firms granted suspension of fines, licensing issue unresolved

Armenian companies operating Yerevan-Tbilisi shuttle services have been granted a reprieve from fines issued in Georgia over alleged licensing violations, operators said on Monday.

Artyom Asriyan, head of Go2, told Panorama.am that Georgian authorities have agreed not to penalize several firms while they work to obtain licenses in both countries. Georgia began issuing fines on October 17, saying Armenian operators lacked the required permit, despite drivers’ claims that no licensing changes had been introduced in recent years.

Asriyan said companies have resumed normal cross-border operations without forcing passengers to switch to taxis at the border, as happened after fines began. Existing penalties have been appealed, he added.

Licensing in Georgia will increase operators’ costs, Asriyan said, though he does not expect fares to rise. Armenia’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure said its position remains that companies cannot continue operating without proper authorization and confirmed there have been no follow-up talks since an initial meeting with operators last month.