The Moldovan Customs Service has been equipped with six mobile offices designed to streamline the export and transit of goods at the border with the EU (Romania) in light of the crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. The donation is provided by USAID and will ensure one-stop control at the border with the European Union, reports IPN.
According to Customs Service director Igor Talmazan, Moldova’s trade routes are overburdened both by the seasonal transport of agricultural products and by the flow of goods in transit from and to Ukraine. In recent months, excessive queues of trucks have formed at the exit of the country, with border crossings operating beyond capacity. Under these conditions, streamlining the transit of goods at the border with the EU is vital for supporting Moldovan exports and its economy.
Talmazan added that the donated equipment will enable to the Customs Service to implement the one-stop system at the Leușeni/Albița border crossing, with the first steps already taken to negotiate the implementation with the Romanian authorities.
The mobile offices will be located both on the processing lanes intended for both commercial and non-commercial vehicles. The same formula will be applied for the Border Police.
The mobile offices donated by USAID Moldova are similar to standard, 2.4x6M intermodal shipping containers, which allows them to be hauled by regular cargo trucks. They are acoustically and thermally insulated, have high-performance interior lighting and an electrification system that allows easy connection to the network. The interior is set up with four workstations, fully furnished and equipped with the necessary equipment, including computers, printers, safes and the minimum necessary comfort – air conditioning equipment and refrigerators. The offices are properly equipped to be used in both summer and winter conditions.
With the war in Ukraine, the number of people crossing the border and the volumes of goods exported to the European Union increased threefold, for this reason the US Government decided to offer support to the Republic of Moldova, noted the US Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, Kent D .Logsdon. “When the Government of the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with its counterparts in Romania, decided to establish joint customs posts to speed up border crossing procedures, eliminate blockages and reduce waiting times for carriers, we fully supported this decision. Thus, at the request of the Customs Service, we reacted promptly and delivered these mobile offices through the USAID Institutional and Structural Reforms in Moldova Program (MISRA)”, the diplomat said.
The mobile joint border offices will become functional as soon as there is Romania’s agreement in this regard.
