MINSK, 28 December (BelTA) – Starting from 1 January 2019, customs officers will perform some duties of border guards, including border control functions, at the checkpoints determined by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus. This is envisaged by Decree No. 495 “On work optimization” signed by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian leader.
So far, this decree covers three border checkpoints – the Kozlovichi motorway border checkpoint on the border with Poland that handles only trucks, as well as two railway border checkpoints – Gudogai at the Molodechno station, on the border with Lithuania, and Bigosovo at the Polotsk station, on the border with Latvia.
These measures are designed to optimize the work of customs services and border troops at border checkpoints on the territory of Belarus, to implement a one-stop-shop principle and to make border crossing faster.
The border guards replaced by customs agents will be relocated to strengthen border control along other sections of the border.
