Russia's truck shipments across Turkey are now impossible as the transport permits issued by Turkey in 2015 expired on January 31, 2016, Lenta.ru reported referring to a statement of the Association of International Road Transport Carriers.
"Up to the present moment the Turkish side hasn't accorded the quota of agreements for 2016. Currently, Russia's Transport Ministry is assuming measures to settle the issue as proposals on change of agreements have been submitted to the Turkish side once again," the report said.
Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said in December 2015 the number of issued bilateral permits for truck shipments from Turkey to the Russian Federation would decrease four-fold.
In December 2015, the Russian government issued a resolution on measures to implement the president's decree on application of special economic measures in relation to Turkey. The document provides, inter alia, that the number of the bilateral road transportation permits to be issued to the Turkish transportation companies for 2016 be limited to 2,000. The Russian Transport Ministry will also be authorized, when necessary, to annul partially or fully the permits that have been already issued to the Turkish carriers, according to the report.
As is known, Russia introduced sanctions against Turkey on November 28, 2015, with the government approving later the list of prohibited goods from Turkey. On January 1, 2016 a bulk of sanctions banning the import of fruits and vegetables, flowers, poultry meat and salt from Turkey came into effect. In addition, Russia also imposed a ban on charter flights to Turkey and canceled a visa-free regime. The Russian government prohibited the employment of Turkish nationals by Russian legal entities, only with some exceptions.
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