On 15 November 2018 the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in ARC Borys Babin, officials of the Mission’s Kyiv office participated at the press-briefing “Equipment of the Checkpoints at the Administrative Frontier with Crimea – Whether the State has Complied with its Obligations”.

The participants of the event were Tamila Tasheva, Coordinator and Co-founder of the civil society organization “Crimea SOS”, Victor Vuiko, the advocate on Crimea of Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Oleksandr Sedov, the analyst of Crimean Human Rights Group, Olga Kuryshko, the lawyer of civil society organization “Crimea SOS”, Director-General of the Directorate for Strategic Planning and Coordination of State Transport Policy of Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the public and press.

At the briefing, the challenges of equipment of the checkpoints “Chongar” and “Kalanchak” were discussed as well as the establishment of service zones around there significantly. In this context, the Mission’s activity after the adoption of prescript of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine № 584 dated 4 July 2018 about the relevant funds allocations was reviewed.

At the briefing, Borys Babin underscored the lack of facilities at the checkpoints to meet the minimum needs of the citizens such as pedestrian ways need to be surfaced and lightened, establishment of protective shelters and heating locations in wintertime, sanitary zones, 24 hour medical assistance. The lack of adopted projects for redevelopment of the checkpoints was pointed out as well.

In addition, the Permanent Representative confirmed the problems of issuance of passports to Ukrainian citizens, residing in the occupied territory or replaced from there, particularly he pointed the insufficient number of administrative service centers in the village of Novooleksiivka and announced that on 16 November 2018 a new administrative service center will be opened.

At the event, the reference was made to the position of the Mission and other authorities concerning the risks of administrative service centers establishment in close proximity to the checkpoints. The availability of banking and postal units, 4G coverage network in the territories close to the checkpoints was discussed as well.  Additionally, an issue was raised about the need of public attention to the problems occurred with transfer of coffins and urn with ashes via the checkpoints.