Events

VITEBSK, 10 April (BelTA) - The agreement between the Government of Belarus and the Government of Latvia on the regime of the Belarus-Latvia state border was signed in Vitebsk.

On behalf of Belarus, the document was signed by Chairman of the State Border Committee Alexander Boechko; on behalf of Latvia – by the head of the Latvian State Border Guard Normunds Garbars. The signing ceremony was also attended by Foreign Ministers of Belarus and Latvia Vladimir Makei and Edgars Rinkevics.

“This document completes the international legal process of formalization of the state border with Latvia. Thus the long process of formalization is over,” Vladimir Makei said.

The heads of the border services commented on the intergovernmental agreement signed in Vitebsk. According to Alexander Boechko, the document creates a legal framework for close and constructive cooperation, will allow the two countries address emerging issues in a prompt manner.

Normunds Garbars stressed that the agreement is a result of the friendly and professional relationship between the two countries’ border services. “Today, I can safely say that the border service of Belarus is a good partner we can rely on,” he said.

According to the Belarusian State Border Committee, the agreement spells out the maintenance of state border, rules of crossing by individuals and transport vehicles, movement of cargo, goods, and settlement of border incidents.

The parties undertake to carry out economic and other activities on the state border and the border territory without detriment to the other party, to cooperate in the field of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources, to conduct joint activities to prevent environmental emergencies and natural disasters.

The document also spells out the main areas of cooperation of the border services. The institute of border commissioners has been set up for prompt settlement of issues related to the state border regime and border incidents.

Belarus and Latvia will create the joint border commission, which will supervise the maintenance of the border, border crossing, and coordinate the activities of the relevant government bodies.

“The agreement confirms the absence of any territorial issues between the two states, defines the order of addressing issues related to the crossing of the Belarusian-Latvian border using international legal methods,” the State Border Committee said.

According to the committee, bilateral cooperation between the border agencies of Belarus and Latvia has been actively developing. The two countries are currently implementing a joint project “Enhancement of Efficient Operation of K9 Services of the Border Agencies” financed through the EU’s cross border cooperation program Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus. Future plans include more international technical assistance projects. The new agreement opens up new opportunities in the area.

In 2012 the Belarusian-Latvian border was crossed by 967,000 people (746,000 of them foreigners), 526,000 transport vehicles. A total of 93 trespassers and 377 boundary regime violators were arrested last year.