Customs officers deployed to shared border with Russia
He said that 30 customs officers left for the Belarusian-Russian border but they have not yet started to check shipment documents and shipments bound for Russia.
"Everything
is ready, but we have not yet received orders to begin checks," he said.
The checkpoints are not equipped with traffic-control barriers. But officers
are staying at the border and have shelters from rain and for rest. Under
orders from Alyaksandr Shpilewski, chairman of the State Customs Committee,
they must be on duty for 24 hours.
"We have
not built the infrastructure required, only some basic facilities – men need to
eat and rest somewhere," he said.
Syarheyeu said
that customs officers do not plan to collect duties from goods imported from Russia unless
they are of a third-country origin. But they plan to inspect shipments and
private cars.
"As for
physical persons, we have not received any specific orders to that effect.
Therefore, the regular rules apply and officers can stop vehicles selectively.
As for cargoes, we are actually monitoring cargoes being transported today,"
he said.
Customs officers put up checkpoints on major roads only. There are no controls on the railroads or minor motorways.
The Mahilyou Customs Service also dispatched officers to the border. But its
chief says that the place where they are based can hardly be called a
checkpoint.
"I would say 'customs checkpoint' is an exaggeration," Mahilyou Customs Service Chief Yury Charnahlau told ERB. "But we are under orders from the chairman and we must obey."
Vladimir Safonov, spokesman for Smolensk Customs Service, said that Belarusian
counterparts have been using trailers. "They could not have built
checkpoints of bricks within few hours," Safonov noted.
He said that Belarusian customs officers have not yet started to inspect cargoes.
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