Moldova, Ukraine launch joint control at Palanca crossing point

Chisinau, 20 December /MOLDPRES/- Customs and border authorities of Moldova and Ukraine launched yesterday joint control at the Palanca crossing point. It is penultimate of the seven planned in the agreement concluded on 11 March 1997 between the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments.

Attending the event, director-general of the Customs Service Vitalie Vrabie said that the cooperation with similar authorities in Ukraine aimed to facilitate cross-border flows of goods and people. “Moldova and Ukraine are getting closer to European values and standards by implementing best practices in integrated state border management. The launch of joint control at the Palanca crossing point represents a significant advancement in the way to achieving this goal”, he said.

Following the joint control, waiting time in customs will be reduced by about 20 per cent.

The establishment of joint control at the Palanca crossing point is based on the agreement concluded on 11 March 1997 between the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments on ogrnaisation of joint control at seven crossings - ”Criva-Mamalîga”, ”Medveja-Zelionaia”, ”Larga-Kelmențî”, ”Briceni-Rossoșanî”, ”Cuciurgan-Pervomaisc”, ”Palanca-Maiaki-Udobnoe” and ”Giurgiulești-Reni”.

The extension and modernization of the Palanca crossing point is carried out within the project “Construction of the Palanca crossing point for organizing joint control in Moldova”, funded by the EU, co-financed by the Moldovan government and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Moldova. The project budget amounts to 5.56 million euros.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor A. Răileanu)