FSB: Border control on the border with Belarus will not be introduced

The FSB assured that the border control of citizens, cars and cargo on the border with Belarus would not be introduced. This is reported by Interfax. The discoveries on the border of special checkpoints are also not supposed.

Orders of the FSB director Alexander Bortnikov on the creation of border zones along the Russian-Belarusian border "do not impose restrictions on the freedom of crossing the state border of the Russian Federation by citizens of both states," the special services emphasized.

The FSB called the goal of establishing the border zone "the solution to the problems of identifying and suppressing transit illegal migration, drug trafficking and illegal movement across the border of inventories."

On February 3, the media have already written with reference to unofficial sources that the current rules for crossing the Russian-Belarusian border with the creation of the border zone will not change , but a special mode of stay will be introduced in this zone itself. Citizens of Russia for a trip to the border zone will need to obtain permission from the FSB border service. In addition, the security forces will receive the right to detain foreigners who arrived through Belarus in this zone and expel them back so that they enter Russia from the territories of Ukraine or Latvia, on the borders of which there are border posts.

Bortnikov issued orders on the creation of the border zone in the Pskov, Smolensk and Bryansk regions on December 29, 2016, but the information about them ended in the media only on February 1 . Documents enter into force on Tuesday, 7th.

On February 2, the chairman of the Council of International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said that the border zone is established to control the movements of citizens of third countries , in particular Ukraine. In the presidential administration, this measure was explained by the fact that Minsk introduced a five -day visa -free regime for citizens of the European Union and the USA.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow made the decision to create a border zone without prior notice to Minsk. “Many have the impression that these actions lead to the restoration of full-fledged control on the Belarusian-Russian border, canceled more than 20 years ago,” said Maria Vanshina, officials of the press service of the department.

On Friday, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, criticized Bortnikov’s orders , accusing Russia of violating concluded contracts. He also stated that relations between the two countries are experiencing a crisis because of some forces in the leadership of Russia, whose actions diverge from the position of Vladimir Putin.