The topic of importing and clearing cars has become a click-bringing nerve for the local media.

For the past three years, the media has regularly reminded its readers that EEU customs rates will be applied for customs clearance of cars imported to Armenia starting 2020. Customs duties will increase substantially.

During this time, the high rate of car imports shows that people are aware and have been preparing as possible for this change.

The closer the period of change in customs, the more materials are published on this subject. Concerns about the expected change are deepening among the public.

They disseminate information that is not verified and substantiated, incomplete and does not reflect the reality and views of all stakeholders.

Now let’s discuss some recent examples.

“There is a deficit of cars, they have been reserved to sell more expensively”

Zhoghovurd daily reports that most car importers have “stocked” their cars to sell them at double the price after January 1.

The sources of the article are a car dealer and the president of the Auto Dealers Union. Both are specialists in the field and pursue business goals. The article doesn’t include the opinions of a representative from the state, a statistician, an economist or any other specialist. 

“Consequences of abolishing the customs duty of cars will be grave. The government still hot»

168.am has no less worrying car-related content.

In the analytical paper, the author writes that there are concerns that the new customs rates may come into force when purchasing cars at the same rate continues.

“There is no doubt that there will be many importers who will not be able to meet the deadlines. It is not difficult to imagine what this could mean for the government,” the site wrote.

It is good to write about the consequences, and it is more important to substantiate or dispel useful doubts by talking to the SRC Customs Service representative, economist, crisis manager and other professionals.

“Cars are being looted on the road: what’s taking place at Poti”

Zhoghovurd daily keeps the topic in the spotlight. This time, it writes, according to their information, a number of citizens importing cars into Armenia have fallen into an impossible situation.

“The thing is that they imported cars through auctions, and when they arrived in Armenia, they found that there were no parts in the car,” the site wrote.

The source of the material is a car dealer. There is no real story in the publication, an example of correspondence that can confirm that this has happened. There is also no mention of a lawsuit against the Georgian side, a written complaint and other evidence.

“Starting January, older cars will, in fact, be more expensive than new ones: the market is completely crumbling: car dealer»

Once again, the only source in the 168.am article is the auto dealer, who says that for the middle class, cars can double in price. He says the market is completely collapsing and everything will start from scratch.

The topic of rising car prices is not new, as are the expected changes in the market, but the media occasionally releases alarming material based solely on the emotions of car dealers.

It is clear to everyone that the rules of the new game will hit their earnings.

On the topic of cars, you can read how and why auto dealers wrote a letter to Putin, how tense the public is, everyone is in a hurry to get a car, auto dealers will be deprived of their daily bread, and so on.

Some conclusions from these stories on customs duties

• It is not good for the media to cause a panic, remember the effects of the 2014-2015 AMD depreciation. With the same scenario, people started converting their currency into dollars quickly, and there was a false demand.
• Preparing an article based on one source is biased, all sides have something to say. It cannot fully reflect the situation.
• Such articles raise questions for the audience that call for professional clarification. The media can explain the situation through an SRC representative and lawyer in a question-and-answer format, denials or other formats. Anxiety comes from ignorance or incomplete information.
• Responsibility towards the audience forces them to not create a false agenda and not give artificially loud-sounding topics.

Gayane Asryan