President notes positive changes in state border protection

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has said that each border crossing point should serve as a real "business card" of Ukraine and reflect the country's being part of Europe. He said that during his visit to the Shehyni border service agency in Lviv region that this task "becomes especially important during [Ukraine's] preparations for hosting UEFA EURO 2012."

Yushchenko expressed confidence that the image of Ukraine's state border as a border open for friendship, cooperation and partnership would be established through joint efforts by the state and its citizens.

The president also noted positive changes in the protection of Ukraine's frontiers. In his opinion, a strategy for the border service's development and a state program for the development and reconstruction of state border were being implemented in full. Yushchenko said that Soviet-style border troops had been successfully restructured into the State Border Service as a modern law enforcement agency.

He said that Ukraine was formally completing all of its procedures with Poland required to establish the local border traffic regime with its neighbor.

Yushchenko expressed hope that a final confirmation would soon be sent by Polish partners.

"The full functioning of this regime is more significant to our people and Ukraine's European integration than any other slogans and declarations. Local border traffic really brings us closer to implementing the Four Freedoms of the European Union," he said.

Yushchenko also said that Ukraine's goal was the maximum liberalization of its visa regime with European Union countries, the future establishment of a visa-free regime and Ukraine's full entry into the Schengen zone, as well as the country's political association and economic integration with the EU.

He said that the role of Ukrainian border guards was very important in implementing these tasks, and stressed the need to bring the standards of the State Border Service of Ukraine in line with EU practices.

UKRINFORM