Joint control at Moldovan-Ukrainian border crossing points to start after ratification of bilateral agreement

Chisinau, 8 November /MOLDPRES/- Joint control at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border crossing points will start after ratification by the two states of the bilateral agreement signed in October 2017. Chief specialist of the border control directorate of Border Police Victor Apostu made the statement to this end.

After the ratification of the agreement, the Moldovan-Ukrainian authorities will set the order of the border checkpoints in which the joint control will be initiated. “Joint control will not begin at the same time at all points, but will be initiated on the basis of criteria, such as: passenger flow, infrastructure and existence of trained staff. We do not believe this period will last long. During this time, several additional protocols will be signed”, Apostu said.

Apostu noted that the agreement sees joint control at the state border of people, vehicles, goods and objects. “Joint control can be applied at all Moldovan-Ukrainian border crossing points both for road transport and rail. This will optimize the interaction of the border control institutions of the two states and facilitate the movement of people and traffic of goods”, he said.

The joint control will be applied also on the Transnistrian segment, which the joint border crossing point “Cuciurgan-Pervomaisc” was set up on 17 July 2017. “Currently, it works normally. Registration of foreign citizens, informing people about the rules of crossing and issuing visas in exceptional situations take place at the request. Starting from 17 January 2018, it will be decided jointly the possibility to switch to the second stage, which means that the registration of people and means of transport will normally take place”, the quoted source reads.

The government approved last week the agreement on joint control at the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border crossing points. The document sets new forms of interaction between border control institutions in order to simplify bureaucratic formalities and procedures, while ensuring security and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of state borders. Also, due to the development of cross-border cooperation, effective combating of illegal migration and illegal activities at joint state border will be ensured.

The agreement on joint control at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border was signed during the 6 October official visit by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodimir Groisman to Moldova. The document was concluded between Moldova and Ukraine for a period of five years and is in line with the commitments made by the two countries through the Association Agreement with the EU.

Five common crossing points on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border are currently operating. At the same time, Moldova and Ukraine have 67 border crossing points, of which 25 are on the Transnistrian segment. The Moldovan authorities have recently issued an agreement on initiating joint control at the Moldovan-Romanian border, and are currently waiting for an answer.

(Reporter A. Ciobanu, editor A. Răileanu)