EU wants to extend the Moldovan-Ukrainian border assistance mission

EU wants to extend the Moldovan-Ukrainian border assistance mission, Ian Boag, the head of the representative of the Mission of the European Commission in Ukraine declared about this. According to him, after 5 months of activity, as a result of an agreement with the Moldovan and Ukrainian parts, the decision to extend the mission was made. “We have found an important smuggling activity”, Boag said, explaining this decision. The diplomat declared that mission’s extending includes opening new offices – in Odesa and Ilicevsk ports (Ukraine) and in Chisinau, which will base on the activity at the interior border with Transnistria. He said that the new offices will be opened in the places were the most serious contraband problems are registered. The quoted source mentioned that also the number of personnel will be increased – from 44 to 96 persons. As well, according to him, meat is considered to be the most smuggled product. The special representative of Ukraine in the settlement process of Transnistrian dispute Andre Veselovski mentioned that from the moment EU border assistance mission started its activity the situation improved. The EU Assistance Mission started its activity on November 30, 2005, as a result of a joint request of the presidents of Moldova and Ukraine. The Mission’s functioning is planned for a term of 2 years; experts from several EU member countries are working in it.