Armenia to receive 57-million-euro for state borders modernization

YEREVAN, February 17. /ARKA/. Armenia will receive about 57 million - euro total sum for State borders modernization program, said Grigory Malintsyan, “Complex management of State Borders in South Caucasus” UNDP Program coordinator, on National Security Council Friday’s session.

Malintsyan said credit of European Investment Bank (EIB) will be 40 million euros, and about 17 million euros – grant by European structures and UN.

The border checkpoints are planned to be repaired and technically re-equipped in the framework of the program, he said. “On EIB request we have also made a research to figure out the level of environmental damage which may be caused by repair works in this places as well as amount of incentives necessary for its elimination”, he added.He also underscored that the course of preparatory works allow to start the modernization works this June-July. In his turn, Artur Bagdasaryan, the Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia, said June-July to be the latest deadline for starting modernization activities and it is just the matter of wish to set this process in motion earlier. 

Bagdasaryan also noted that border security is of the highest attention regarded by the president and Security Council.

“After adopting the national security strategy, Armenia succeeded in this direction. Our cooperation with EU targeted at modernization of Armenian-Georgian border is pretty productive, also we have reached an agreement with Russia to collaborate in renovating and technically re-equipping the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian borders’ infrastructures,” he said.

State borders modernization program is developed from “Complex Management of State Borders in South Caucasus” program. The modernization works started a year earlier in autumn on the three border checkpoints ( Bagratashen, Bavra, Gogavan).

The modernization will result in easier border crossing, and the system of “one stop” launching.

The goals of “Complex Management of State Borders in South Caucasus” Program are to implement the practical mechanisms of border management in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as to develop intradepartmental, interdepartmental and international cooperation in South Caucasus with EU members and international structures. The program is targeted at ensuring legal border crossing for people and freight as well as border protection.—0--