Estonia Shares Schengen Experiences with Ukraine and Moldova

No. 264-E

Within the framework of a development co-operation project, the Foreign Ministry is supporting the Ukrainian and Moldovan border guards’ capability to prevent the illegal entrance of people and goods and is also helping them to use more modern border guard technology.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that modernising the border guard will help Ukraine and Moldova’s co-operation with the EU as well as improve the standard of living for people in both countries. “Limiting human trade and smuggling will support the nations’ stability and economic development and also create circumstances for greater trustworthiness in international co-operation. This in turn will create opportunities for improving the human rights and economic situation in Ukraine and Moldova,” said Paet, talking about the long-term goals of the project. “Through this development co-operation project supported by Estonia, the use of contemporary information technology solutions in border controls will speed up the development of an e-state and thereby decrease corruption,” stressed the Estonian foreign minister.

Within the framework of the project, Ukrainian and Moldovan border guard officials will be trained in guarding the land border, or “green border”, and Estonia will share its experiences in acceding to the European Union, NATO, and the Schengen visa space. The Ukrainian and Moldovan border guards will adopt the use of the most modern border guard technology, the usage of which will be practiced for one month with instruction by the Estonian side.

The project is being carried out with the support of the Foreign Ministry by the Defendec OÜ in co-operation with the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board, the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, and the Ukrainian and Moldovan border guards. After the end of the project, the tools and hardware used will remain in the possession of the Moldovan and Ukrainian border guards.

Based on the co-operation between the European Union, Moldova and Ukraine, solving border issues is vital for the development of Ukraine and Moldova. Ukraine’s European Union action plan prescribes Ukraine-Moldova co-operation along their entire shared border.

In accordance with the European Union and Ukraine’s association agreement, Ukraine is developing its border protection strategy, legal bases and procedures. Moldova has joined the UN Millennium Development Goals and within the framework of those as well as Moldova’s EU action plan, it is endeavouring to make border control more effective and bring it into accordance with Schengen regulations in order to decrease the underground economy and thereby improve the nation’s economic situation.

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