Simplified customs and passport checkpoints are to be set up on the Ukrainian-Russian ferry crossing via the Strait of Kerch, Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov has said.
"We’ve already agreed with [Russian Transport Minister] Ihor Levitin: if you have already gone through a customs and passport checkpoint on the Ukrainian side, you’re not checked and required a passport in Russia. In that way and vice versa. It [the system of border controls] will be operating in the next few months," Kolesnikov told the Moscow Echo radio station.
He added that such procedure would work not just during Euro 2012, but also on the constant basis.
"Concerning Crimea-Caucasus – it will work permanently. We’d really like it to operate permanently in all ports."
Kolesnikov also talked about the specifics of the admission regime during Euro 2012.
"We, together with Poland, are implementing the project, that’s why we agreed to go through just one checkpoint with the Poles: from the Polish or Ukrainian sides. We signed an analogous agreement with Russia, and now technical procedures are being carried out, and if you go through the [passport] checks on the Russian side, you don’t have to go through them in Ukraine and vice versa. This is connected with Euro 2012."
