Progress, priorities for 2021 of EUBAM Mission discussed at meeting

Chisinau, 29 January /MOLDPRES/- Assessing the progress of the Mission of the Advisory Board of the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) and partner institutions in September - December 2020, as well as issues on priorities for 2021 were discussed at the 35th meeting of the EUBAM Advisory Council on 28 January in video conference format, the MAEIE press service has reported.

The Moldovan delegation was led by Secretary of State Gheorghe Leucă, and was made up of representatives of the Customs Service, the General Inspectorate of the Border Police and the Office of Reintegration Policies. Attending the event were representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, the EU Delegations in Moldova and Ukraine, the OSCE Mission to Moldova, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Development Program.

The participants in the event appreciated the support of the EUBAM Mission to the authorities of both states during the 15 years of activity in ongoing process of ensuring a modern and efficient border management, highlighted the results achieved in September - December 2020 and discussed the main guidelines on the activity due to be taken by the end of Phase 12, which will end on 30 November 2021.

In his speech, Moldovan delegation's head Gheorghe Leuca thanked European partners for technical assistance and financial support and reiterated the willingness of the national authorities to continue cooperation with EUBAM on three dimensions: the Transnistrian conflict settlement, effective implementation of integrated border management and fight organized crime. He also highlighted the importance of extending joint control at the Moldovan-Ukrainian state border crossing points, including its central (Transnistrian) segment, meant to help ensure stability and security in the region.

For their part, the representatives of the partner services in Moldova reviewed the activities to meet the goals, special attention was paid to the development of joint control at border crossing points and the need to adapt to current conditions of the Roadmap on joint control at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border agreed upon in 2018.

The participants adopted the conclusions of the meeting and agreed to convene the next meeting of the EUBAM Advisory Board in Odessa in June 2021.

photo: MAEIE