Belarusian border guards to get €1.3m in international technical aid

A solemn ceremony of inaugurating an international technical aid project of the European Commission, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Center for Migration Policy Development took place at the Loyev coast guard section of the Gomel border group on 4 October. The project title is “Strengthening Surveillance Capacity on the ‘Green’ and ‘Blue’ border between the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine (SURCAP)”.

Taking part in the event were Head of the EU Delegation to Belarus Ambassador Maira Mora, Head of the IOM Office in Belarus Zeynal Hajiyev, Deputy Director General of the International Center for Migration Policy Development (Vienna) Borut Erzen, representatives of the State Border Committee of Belarus and the State Border Service of Ukraine.

The participants of the ceremony familiarized themselves with the work and physical infrastructure of the Loyev coast guard section.

The international technical aid project “Strengthening Surveillance Capacity on the ‘Green’ and ‘Blue’ border between the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine” was signed by representatives of the State Border Committee and the European Commission and the IOM in April 2012.

The budget of the project for Belarus is €1.3 million. The project provides for the purchase in 2013-2014 of cars, marsh buggies, motorcycles, motor boats, GPS navigators, transportable thermal imaging equipment to strengthen border surveillance and control. The project also provides for joint visits to the EU together with Ukrainian specialists and regional seminars in Belarus and Ukraine.