Customs officers celebrated their professional holiday (PHOTOS)

A solemn meeting on occasion of the 21^st anniversary of the State Customs Service of Ukraine was held in the Regional Philharmonic in Uzhgorod today (6/21/12). With warm words to the Chop customs officials addressed the head of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration Alexandr Ledyda, the first deputy head of Regional Council Volodymyr Zakurenyi, the heads of Prosecutor’s Office, Court, SSU, MIA in the Transcarpathian region, tax administration, Chop and Mukachevo border troops and members of the public. The directors of the regional Romania, Slovakia and Hungary customs also came to congratulate their colleagues. By the way, Chop customs has gathered simultaneously all the heads of neighboring states customs authorities for the first time.

While opening the ceremonial meeting, the Chop customs head Alexandr Pokhylko pointed out that the customs system proved its ability to solve difficult task of state’s economic protection during 21 years. Customs Service passed difficult path from the almost complete absence of legislation to the newest customs technologies implementation.

‘The new Customs Code adoption is perceived as positive in the Ukrainian society and international organizations. It is a signal that reforming the customs we are moving in the right direction’, – said Alexander Ivanovich.

A system of electronic declaration of goods is successfully implemented in Chop Customs. The use of information technology on a qualitatively new level ensured the introduction of electronic documents between the Customs and international trade operators. 71 enterprise of the region fulfills the customs registration procedure with the use of electronic declarations. It is expected that 40 percent of customs declaration registration will be carried out electronically by the end of the year.

Thanks to the good partner relations with business representatives, customs has already transferred to the state budget more than six hundred fifty six million hryvnia, from which six hundred and fourteen were directed to the regional budget in less than six months of the current year. The Transcarpathian treasury will be enriched by more than one billion hryvnia, which will be directed at the wages’ payments to teachers, doctors, other public employees, pensions and scholarships.

An extremely important task that the customs is facing currently is the requirement of a comprehensive mobilization of efforts to fully protect the economic interests of our country. Due to team cooperation with law enforcement agencies and border guards, customs officers prevent the illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs and goods on the territory of Ukraine and the cultural heritage exportation. Only the concerted, systematic work will ensure an adequate effectiveness and quality towards discovery, detection and combating of Customs offences. The governor of the region thanked Chop customs officers for their professionalism during Euro 2012 and tolerant attitude to the guests at the Transcarpathian checkpoints.

The honorable guests wished Chop customs officers happiness and prosperity, new achievements for the sake of the Ukrainian state at the end of the official part, – informed Viktoriia Sengetovska, Chop customs press secretary.