OREANDA-NEWS. August 06, 2015. President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with Zakarpattia RSA Head Hennadiy Moskal on the first results of struggle against smuggling.

Petro Poroshenko praised the work of the new regional authorities in this direction. “I would like to congratulate you on the first successful steps. Finally, the order is being restored in Zakarpattia. Finally, there is an efficient state government and strict coordination between the law enforcement bodies,” he said at the beginning of the meeting.

The Head of State drew attention to greater control over the commodities transported across the border. “There are increased queues on the border. Pursuant to my instruction, more border guards have been sent there. They are under your coordination and I fully trust you,” Petro Poroshenko noted.

The President believes that the establishment of joint border crossing points with western neighboring states will also contribute to the struggle against smuggling.

According to Zakarpattia RSA Head, contraband flows on Ukraine-Poland, Ukraine-Slovakia and Ukraine-Hungary borders were stopped completely.

Hennadiy Moskal informed that the meeting between representatives of Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia had been held to organize efficient struggle against illegal circulation of excisable goods. In the course of the meeting, the Ukrainian party underlined common responsibility and the need for combining efforts in this struggle.

“Both border guards and customs officers from the neighboring countries arrived at your invitation. The discussion was principled – if Ukrainian hands convey the box of cigarettes on the border, what hands in Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia take this box? Let’s punish both parties,” he said.

According to H. Moskal, Hungary was the first country to react following the meeting – contraband warehouses were exposed and a lot of Hungarian customs officers and border guards were arrested.

Zakarpattia RSA Head also drew attention of the Head of State to the issue of increasing responsibility for smuggling, just like in other countries. In his turn, the President promised to submit the draft law to the Parliament on the imposition of criminal responsibility for smuggling of excisable goods instead of administrative one.