The procedure for customs control of motor vehicles established by the Ukrainian government will be restored at the "Yahodyn" checkpoint. This was reported to "proUA" by the press service of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.\n\nAccording to the press service of the agency, a significant portion of checkpoints require expansion and reconstruction, and construction work is already underway at some of them. As a result, large queues of motor vehicles are forming at checkpoints and on the approaches to them, leading to significant idle time and facilitating corrupt and smuggling activities. Taking advantage of the situation, at checkpoints with heavy traffic flows, private commercial structures began to appear and operate alongside state ones, in particular the automobile terminal "Avtoport Yahodyn" at the "Yahodyn - Dorohusk" checkpoint (Ukrainian-Polish state border).\n\nAll types of state control and processing of motor vehicles and cargo were transferred from the "Yahodyn" checkpoint to this private terminal. Carriers were forcibly directed to this terminal for border and customs procedures, with significant fees charged for entry and services. The passage of motor vehicles directly into the state zone of the checkpoint was prohibited by posting appropriate road signs and traffic police posts. This procedure for organizing customs control and processing at the "Yahodyn" checkpoint caused dissatisfaction among carriers, created nervous tension and a negative image for Ukraine as a transit state.\n\nTo remedy this situation and at the initiative and direct participation of the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Order No. 307-r was adopted on June 7, 2002, "On Improving the Conditions for Crossing the State Border by Cargo Motor Vehicles."\n\nUnder this order, the State Customs Service and the State Border Service were obligated to carry out all types of control and processing of the said vehicles and cargo directly within the customs zone of the "Yahodyn" checkpoint.\n\nIn addition, in order to increase the throughput capacity of the checkpoint, the State Border Committee, the State Customs Service and the Ministry of Transport agreed on a procedure for carrying out, in certain cases, customs control and processing of cargo using the "Avtoport Yahodyn" automobile terminal only with the consent of carriers and provided they are exempt from paying all fees except the single charge, if their stay at the terminal does not exceed half a day.\n\nInitially, the order and the said procedure were followed, and carriers could, at their own discretion, use the services of the private terminal.\n\nHowever, gradually, in violation of the established procedure, all functions of customs and border authorities were again transferred from the state border to the territory of the private automobile terminal, thereby violating the "Procedure for Customs Control of Motor Vehicles of Carriers and Goods Moved by Them at Checkpoints Across the State Border," approved by Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1989 of December 24, 2003.\n\nThe Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the State Border Service Administration, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine regarding the adoption of urgent measures aimed at normalizing the operation of automobile checkpoints. However, the appeals of the Ministry of Transport and Communications did not yield positive results.\n\nOnce again, this issue was raised on February 8 of this year during a meeting between the Minister of Transport and Communications of Ukraine, Yevhen Chervonenko, and representatives of the Association of International Automobile Carriers of Ukraine. At the meeting, carriers confirmed the facts of forced redirection of vehicles from the customs zone of the "Yahodyn" checkpoint to the private terminal for customs and other control procedures.\n\nOn this basis, on February 11, 2005, Yevhen Chervonenko appealed to the State Customs Service of Ukraine regarding the adoption of measures for the unconditional implementation of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Order No. 307-r of June 7, 2002, "On Improving the Conditions for Crossing the State Border by Cargo Motor Vehicles."\n\nThe Minister has taken the restoration of the customs control procedure for motor vehicles at the "Yahodyn" checkpoint under his personal control.