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New look of Russia confines is forming

 Dmitry Bezdelov, the Head of the Federal Agency for Development of the State Border Facilities of the Russian Federation

In December, 2009 in a session of the board of Russian Border Services Agency (Rosgranitsa) realization of the Conception of state policy in the sphere of Russian Federation state border infrastructure development was discussed.

Conception of state policy in the sphere of Russian Federation state border infrastructure development exposes main problems, goals and priority tasks of state policy in the sphere of state border infrastructures development in perspective until the year 2016, as well as mechanisms, stages of Conception realization and expected results.

I should note that this document was elaborated with due account for current and prospective political, economical, social, demographic and cultural process of development in Russia, near-border states and counteracting countries.

In the course of preparation of the conception there were selected four main problems in the sphere of state border infrastructures development: imperfection of normative legal regulation, inconsistency of existing checkpoint system with state needs, lack of proper regulation of proprietorship matters concerning real property facilities of state border infrastructure.

The conception determines the goal of state policy in the sphere of state border infrastructure development as sponsorship of foreign economic activity and near-border collaboration with simultaneous securing of adequate security of a state. Also it provides for partial execution of plan package for handling problems of state border functioning and reaching the level of state border infrastructure development, which meets up-to-date requirement. That is how the new look of the state border is formed.

The first stage, designed for years 2008–2010, provides for introduction of alterations into normative legal acts, realization of existing Federal Target Program “State Border of the Russian Federation” and development of the new one, creation and organizing the work of territorial bodies and lower organization, providing for activity of checkpoints.

Of course, all activities are held in the framework of clean scheme. It consists of 18 points, and Rosgranitsa is leading executor of 17 ones.

It is necessary to specify that one of the main problems in doing so was the lack of required legal base. Therefore, first of all, it was necessary to make alterations in legal acts and international treaties, as well as to prepare the acts of the Government of the Russian Federation and normative legal acts of Rosgranitsa regarding opening and reconstruction of checkpoints.

Note, that as distinct from majority of federal executive bodies “with history” (i.e., organized more than five years ago), Rosgranitsa not only had to create normative legal acts, regulating the sphere of state border infrastructure development, but, simultaneously, to regulate its own activities, so to say, from the ground up.

In 2009 Rosgranitsa has developed the projects of five intergovernmental agreements, concerning checkpoints on Russian-Latvian, Russian-Estonian, Russian-Norwegian, Russian-Abkhazian and Russian-South Ossetian borders.

Also we have developed and issued Government Executive Orders on establishing of checkpoints on the Finnish railroad station in Saint-Petersburg, on railway stations Vyborg and Buslovskaya, in the airport of the city of Grozny and temporary checkpoints – Skovorodino and on the Russian island.

9 normative legal acts regarding opening of checkpoints are issued and registered by Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation.

Simultaneously, in fact, there were settled questions of normative regulation of the sphere and issuing of inner orders, regulating the issues of office rule, rules of procedure, procedure of competitions to fill the vacancy, procurements, defense of civilian personnel’s private data, civil defense organization etc.

In a year and a half 35 orders of Rosgranitsa from more than 100 organizational and administrative documents were registered in the Ministry of Justice as normative legal acts. And this is not inconsiderable number in comparison with other departments (ministries).

State border infrastructure development provides for optimization of checkpoint system. There are checkpoints on the Russian border which are located back from transport corridors, are not full out with work, have no normal technique and elementary conditions for control authorities’ functioning. Their maintenance costs to the state more than possible economic effect of their activity.

From the beginning of the work on optimization of checkpoint quantity, 26 checkpoints were closed: 5 air check points and 21 automobile ones (6 checkpoints on Latvian border area, and 15 checkpoints on Kazakhstan one).

All closed checkpoints were examined thoroughly. There were made enquiries of utilized capacity, compliance with requirements for equipment and technique, which are necessary for organization of border, custom and another type of control. Consequently, decisions were adopted on inexpedience of some checkpoints functioning. At that, their closing had not to entail any inconveniences for persons who cross boarder or for business.

55 checkpoints that remained unregulated with another countries fall on Ukrainian, Chinese, Mongolian, Estonian, Polish, Finnish, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan border sectors.

Certain effort was mounted to organize interaction with competent authorities of neighboring states on issues relating to functioning of checkpoints.

Specifically, there is prepared a project of standard agreement between the Federal Agency for Development of the State Border Facilities of the Russian Federation and competent authority of contiguous country on interaction and information sharing in the sphere of arrangement of checkpoints.

In accordance with prearrangements, projects of such agreements with competent authorities of contiguous countries are developed and transferred through the diplomatic channel into Abkhazia, Vietnam, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, China, Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, South Ossetia.

It will be necessary to complete considerable volume of tasks in connection with formation of Customs union of Russia, Byelorussia and Kazakhstan. For example, to develop uniform requirements for arrangement of checkpoints, organization of control operations on external boundaries of the Customs union, to prepare projects of interstate agreements in the sphere of arrangement of check points, to complete and adjust a project of the Plan of arrangement external boundaries of the Customs union with corresponding government executive bodies of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The length of internal boundary between Belarus and Russia makes up 1283 kilometers, but the length of internal boundaries between Belarus and neighboring states makes up 2332 kilometers (including 170 kilometers with Latvia, 679 kilometers with Lithuania, 1084 kilometers with Ukraine and 399 kilometers with Poland).

And the length of external boundaries between Kazakhstan and neighboring states makes up 5390 kilometers (including 1560 kilometers with China, 450 kilometers with Turkmenistan, 2310 kilometers with Uzbekistan, and 1070 kilometers with Kyrgyz Republic).

In the light of performance of work for arrangement of external boundaries of the Custom union it is necessary also additional examination of the issue on adjustment of the Conception of realization of the state policy in the sphere of Russian Federation state border infrastructure development and development of the Strategy of national policy of Russia for more extended period.

In this context we actively use the experience of foreign countries. During the whole preceding year our experts studied the best global experience, particularly in Singapore, China, Germany, USA and Finland.

At the same time, crucially important is not to follow practice of EU member states, which tried a long time to resolve problems of external and internal boundaries (including connected with illegal migration, drugs, organized crime) not fully, but by means of resolving local problems and issue of separate legal acts.

In March, 2006 the Schengen border code is adopted, whose regulations equally concern «internal» and «external» borders of the European Union, affect its own citizens, as well as natives of third countries.

Schengen border code, adopted in the form of European Community regulations, has direct application (it does not require any ratification or transformation into national legislation).

Undoubtedly, all the matters concerning adoption of another countries’ experience, should be carefully specified. Simple imitation is inadmissible. It is important not to repeat mistakes.

In order to form new look of state border more effectively, in the first half of the year 2009 the expansion of  Rosgranitsa territorial bodies is completed. Altogether, eight departments were formed: seven are located in the capitals of Russian Federation federal districts, and the eight one is in Kaliningrad.

In some territorial administrations special regional offices are organized, which are to address the issues of arrangement of checkpoints, which are, for example, involves in preparation and carrying out summit meeting of heads of state and government of countries participating in Asian-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum in 2012, as well as in XXII Winter Olympic games and in XI Winter Paralympics in 2014 (the city of Sochi).

Simultaneously our lower organization – Federal State Institution «Directorate for construction and exploitation of  Rosgranitsa objects» – evolved the network of  24 branches, located mainly in near-border subdivisions of the Russian Federation.

According to the Conception, one of Rosgranitsa function is support of checkpoints, including their equipment and technique. Until the end of 2016 Rosgranitsa has to wield plots of land, movable and real property, necessary for organizing border, customs and  other control.

Immediate exploitation and technical equipment of checkpoints, as well as reconstruction and construction activity, will be realized by specially created lower organization – Federal State Institution «Directorate for construction and exploitation of Rosgranica objects» (FGU Rosgranstroy).

The main tool of the Conception realization is the Federal Target Program «State Border of the Russian Federation (2003-2010)»; Rosgranica exercises functions of  its  ordering customer and coordinator from the year 2008. In the year 2009 Rosgranica in liaison with state customers has optimized spending of federal budget resources. At that, optimization is not to lead to slowing down the rate of state border infrastructure development. Basing on results of integrated study of checkpoints, capital investments are committed only to development of acting checkpoints infrastructure.

Taken as a whole, realization of the conception assumes result not only in the form of effective opposition to threats for Russia, but in external turnover and international tourism increase, development of near-board territories.

These activities are easily measured through real figures.

Within a framework of realization of the Conception of state policy in the sphere of  Russian Federation state border infrastructure development it is possible to hold numerous activities, however, as the saying is, «they not worth a brass farthing», if they will not result in reduction of terms of  border crossing procedures and corresponding financial losses, as well as in increase of checkpoints capacity and optimization of their infrastructure development cost.

Source: International magazine «Military fraternity», No. 1, 2010