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​EUROPEAN-TYPE BORDER-CROSSING STATION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT LAUNCHED IN PALANCA

28 may, 2015

The “Construction of Palanca Border Crossing Point” project was officially launched in that village in the Stefan Voda Raion [district] on the border with Ukraine on Wednesday.

The Palanca facility is to be built in two stages to be completed by December 2018. The Project has a budget of 5 million euros and is financed by the European Union with 4.5 million euros, co-financed by the Moldovan Government with 0.5 million euros and implemented by the United Nations Development Program.

The Palanca Border Crossing Point will be built according to all relevant norms and regulations and international best practices in the area of border crossing facilities. For this matter an international expert in the area will be contracted to provide necessary support and observe the quality and timeliness of the works.

The state-of-the-art facility should improve border-crossing conditions for business and trade, safe, secure, ensure gender friendly and facilitated movement of people and goods across the border, economic stabilization and sustainable development of the region.

Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola, Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, said at the construction start ceremony in Palanca that the European Union assistance to the Republic of Moldova in the area of integrated border management according to EU standards and norms shall permit inter alia to accelerate the traffic flow and enhance cooperation among the two countries’ agencies responsible for border control due to simplified border crossing procedures.

“Carrying out activities ‘under one roof’ gives the opportunity for the border control agencies (border police/guards and customs agencies) and other relevant authorities (veterinary, phyto-sanitary agencies) to raise the level of trust and to come to a common understanding more quickly, thus improving the services ”, said Ambassador Tapiola.

Tudor Balitchi, Director General of Moldova Customs Service, said in his address during the ceremony that the Customs Service “is engaged and dedicated totally for a successful implementation of this project, which is not limited only to construction, but also foresees the implementation of most performing mechanisms and tools for an efficient and performing joint control and inspection, as well as making available the most advanced practices based on experience and support from the EU”.

“I am totally convinced that the most important issue here is that all our undertakings will benefit first of all the citizens that will be the main beneficiaries of the investments from the European Union and the Government of Moldova”, said Tudor Balitchi.

And Dafina Gercheva, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Moldova, said: “It is my honor and pleasure to represent the UN system in Moldova and the United Nations Development Program, which in partnership with the EU and the Government of Moldova is implementing this important infrastructure project”.

“The project will establish a modern jointly operated border crossing point, which will: facilitate rapid and secure exchange of information on persons, vehicles and goods; provide high quality services; enable the expansion of the trade volume; improve the cooperation between Moldovan and Ukrainian counterparts and strengthen their collective efforts to fight corruption, smuggling and human trafficking. The Palanca cross border facility will be equipped with a modern infrastructure and will operate following the principles of Integrated Border Management”, said Dafina Gercheva.

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