Moldova to participate in Romania-funded border security project

A €250,000 border management and security project financed by the Romanian Foreign Ministry will start on September 26. It is intended for staffs from 19 countries, including Moldova, Info-Prim Neo's correspondent in Bucharest reports. According to the Ministry's press service, the project will help improve Romania's experience in combating crossborder crime and is of a major importance given that Romanian wants to join the Schengen area in 2011. Some of the states expressed their concern that Romania will not able to manage the external borders of the Schengen zone, saying that it does not make sufficient effort to combat crime and secure the Eastern border. The project includes two sessions of three-week courses to train 50 middle-ranking officials from institutions responsible for border security and border management. The first session intended for 18 persons will take place between September 26 and October 18. The other specialists will attend the courses of the October 24 - November 14 session. The participants will have practical lessons at the border crossing points Sculeni, Nicolina and Albita and at the Iasi international airport. The project covers Moldova, Georgia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Asian countries that are members of the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting). The first four countries count more as they are more important for Romania's policy on international cooperation for development.