Customs clearance problems at South-Ossetian-Russian border remain, entrepreneurs report

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been informed by South-Ossetian entrepreneurs that the import of foodstuffs to their country has been blocked again.

"The recent situation is again in place. Trucks with goods gradually accumulate at the customs. I have a truck with soda drinks, which is not let in again. Looking at my example, others are hesitant to invest into new batches; although we had been promised that they would be passed through. For how long should these problems persist, and why should we come and convince bosses to address those issued of foodstuffs? These are primary life-saving products," said one of the entrepreneurs.

Busyness men assert that with this passage regime in place, they will be forced just to close their shops. "If it goes on like that, we'll just close our shops; the shelves will be empty; and then consumers will go out to rallies, not us," said the merchants.

In his turn, Murat Tskhovrebov, the head of the Customs Committee of South Ossetia, said that the issue of clearing and admission of goods into the territory of South Ossetia would be raised by the leadership on March 14 in Moscow. "We'll meet our Moscow colleagues on March 14 and address these issues."