State Customs Chairman: Western and Northwestern borders of Russia more developed

Western and Northwestern borders of Russia are more developed than other Russian borders because most of the country's trade flow travels through them, said State Customs Committee Chairman Mikhail Vanin, who was in Kaliningrad Region in connection with the official opening of the Bagrationovsk international customs terminal on the Russian-Polish border.

However, he also said that developed customs points do not solve all problems of convenient and comfortable flow of people and trade goods. 'We must learn to work according to new, European standards. This is especially important now that Russia will have borders with the EU,' he said.

At the same time, he said that the condition of Russian borders with Kazakhstan, Ukraine and China today is 'poor'. In this connection, USD 100 million will be allotted to reconstructing various customs points on these borders.

Moreover, remaining customs points in Kaliningrad Region should be completed within the next three years. The largest project will provide for the transit of freight to and from Europe at Mamonovo, and Chernyzhevskoye on the Russian-Lithuanian border.