Ukrainian border guards stationed near Crimea accused of corruption scheme
The ban on the supply of Ukrainian goods to Crimea has resulted in corruption schemes along the administrative border with the peninsula. This was reported to Krim.Realii by the head of a human rights group, Olga Skrypnyk. This ban was imposed by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1035 which details “restrictions of some goods and services in the annexed Crimea and out of the annexed Crimea.”
According to Skrypnyk, the scheme entails the use of illicit means to collect money from citizens. It emerged due to the restrictions imposed on the volumes of goods and belongings allowed for transportation from Crimea, to the mainland and back.
“It is an amazing corruption scheme that the border guards are implementing. We have already had several complaints made by people who tried to transfer their belongings from Crimea. According to them, the average bribe in this case is between 400 and 600 dollars,” she continued.
The State Border Service has not yet issued any statements concerning these corruption and bribery complaints made by human rights activists.
This ban was adopted at the end of 2015 and came into force on the 15th of January this year.
According to the document, during the Crimean occupation, all supplies coming in and out of the annexed Crimea are prohibited.
The only exceptions to this are for personal belongings, which is specified in Part 1, Article 370 of the Customs Code of Ukraine. This refers to hand baggage. Names and volumes of socially important products which are transported by citizens are prohibited as well. The total invoice value for these prohibited items should not exceed 10,000 UAH and should be no less than 50 kilograms per person.
Human rights activists are challenging this document in court.