Numerous surprises await those driving to Armenia in their own cars at the customs office.

If the automobile is registered in another country, the officials warn drivers that they must remove the car within fifteen days.

Many Armenians from the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and Eastern Europe visit Armenia by car, and that’s a good thing which should be encouraged. Here, we are not talking about the Ari Tun (Come Home) or other similar programs, whose success still needs to be evaluated.

Rather, we are referring to those baseless obstacles faced by those driving to Armenia. It is absurd, of course, but drivers must either quickly leave the country or pay penalties to keep their cars in the country past the deadline. Stories have already sprouted up in CIS countries about the consequences if one drives to Armenia. On the other hand, though, isn’t it true that many are not aware of Armenia’s strict laws and thus should at least expect a polite welcome at the border.

This problem has been exacerbated of late due to heightened security measures enacted in the Sochi region on the run-up to next month’s Winter Olympics. Many of our compatriots are in fact open to the idea of spending a few months in Armenia, but private cars present an insurmountable obstacle.

The problem starts when officials enact a “temporary import” customs regime on cars entering the country. According to Article 38 of the Customs Code, temporarily imported goods must be re-exported within fifteen days. Furthermore, one can only make two such two week visits within a year. The law doesn’t take into account the possibility that an individual might have driven to Armenia for a short sojourn, and not merely to sell his car.

The bad luck of car owners doesn’t end here. One also has to make several payments – customs fee, environmental fee and road fee. These can average to around 25,000 AMD ($65 USD). Added to this is the payment for temporary auto insurance which, for some unknown reason, is sold on a per monthly basis, even though the vehicle must be removed within two weeks.

After confronting all these problems and payments, many of our compatriots do not contemplate returning to Armenia by car for quite a while. And no Ari Tun program will make them change their mind.

While it is true that other countries place restrictions on vehicles entering their borders, such conditions are probably the strictest in Armenia. For example, Georgia allows cars to enter for three months, and Russia for one month.

We believe the Diaspora Ministry must seriously work to lift such artificial obstacles. Otherwise, programs like Ari Tun will unavoidably be discredited.