Exports nosedive as an unintended consequence of Moscow’s diplomatic gesture of friendship.
By Anaid Gogorian in Sukhum (CRS No. 491, 1-May-09)
In rural districts of Abkhazia, many country folk say they have stopped going to the Psou checkpoint on the border with Russia.
This is because they know the Russian customs officers there won’t let them carry their farm produce across the border, as they used to.
“Three days ago I went to the border,” said Alena Zotova from the village of Gandiadi, in Abkhazia’s Gagra district.
“I wanted to cross over to Sochi to sell some stuff from my garden there. But they didn’t allow me to.”
Flowers are the only items that Abkhaz farmers can sell freely on the other side of the border.
Abkhazia’s frustrated farmers and market gardeners are victims of a ...