Putin checks on traffic at Finnish-Russian border

Russian PM not overly impressed with efficiency of customs inspections

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According to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the customs inspections of trucks on the Finnish-Russian border have to be speeded up by introducing new technologies.
      Furthermore, Russia should aim to introduce the “one service desk principle”. For the present, truck drivers have to deal with several different officials on the Russian side.
      Putin described his impressions of the situation on Tuesday after his visit to the Russian border crossing point of Torfyanovska, opposite Vaalimaa on the Finnish side.
      In Putin’s view the border traffic is not particularly smooth, even if he did not witness any long queues on this particular occasion.
     
Traffic through Torfyanovska was not halted, but Putin’s visit did manage to put life at the border station in a whirl.
      Before the PM’s arrival, roads in the station area were ploughed of snow and windows were cleaned.
      The staff put on their dress uniforms and the female officials touched up their makeup.
      Putin arrived in a helicopter, from which he walked to the truck terminal.
     
A customs dog, showing excessive zeal, decided to start barking at the PM’s entourage.
      Torfyanovska Customs Director Pjotr Ivanov told Putin that traffic through the station should get faster once the trucks’ documents will start passing electronically from the EU to Russia next year.
      There are also plans to make the customs station considerably larger in the next few years. In the truck terminal the solemn-looking PM also exchanged views with some of the truck drivers waiting for the inspection of their cargo.
      Traffic at the border was relatively quiet.
      Truck driver Sergei, who was on his way to deliver a clothes consignment to Moscow, managed to pass through the Russian customs in an hour.
      “Lord, I wish the border operated this efficiently every day”, he laughed, expressing a sentiment that many Finns could share. The long lines of trucks waiting to pass into Russia have been a constant source of concern for years.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Suggestion to ease border tailbacks: trucks to cross Russian border at night-time (11.9.2008)
  Complaints cause further delays to construction of Vaalimaa truck park (7.11.2008)
  Parking fees, tolls, and road use bans in prospect for eastbound truck traffic (6.11.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat