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The county authorities in Botosani and Suceava, in the Ukrainian region of Chernivtsi, representatives of the governments in Bucharest and Kyiv, of diplomacy and customs structures from the two states attended a meeting on Thursday in Siret for identifying fastest solutions for the reopening of the customs offices in Racovat-Diakivtsi and Vicovu de Sus-Krasnoilsk, shows a press release sent by the Botosani County Council (CJ).
According to the quoted source, the discussions materialized in a joint statement signed by the representatives of the customs structures from the two countries.
"The Racovat Customs Chekpoint is of strategic importance for Botosani County. We are doing everything humanly and legally possible to reopen it as soon as possible. In the current geopolitical context, Racovat Customs can help shape a pan-European humanitarian and economic corridor, in particular for the foreign trade of Ukraine and Romania," declared the president of the Botosani County Council, Doina Federovici.
On this occasion, the representatives of the EU Mission for the reform of the civil security sector in Ukraine announced that European funds will be provided so that the Ukrainian authorities can modernize the customs points.
Racovat Customs was closed in 2010 due to non-compliance with Schengen security rules with non-EU countries. The Romanian part of the customs has been rehabilitated with 3.5 million euros.
The CJ officials say that the deadline for the Ukrainian side to bring the two customs points up to Schengen standards so that they can be reopened is one month after the European Union allocates the money and the start of modernization work.
The representatives of the two countries and those of the EU Mission agreed that, after the reopening of the customs points, there should be a second phase, also financed by European funds, for their modernization and the adjacent road infrastructure so that also international trade in goods can take place on these corridors. AGERPRES
