18-06-2010
Today is three years since Ukraine has signed Agreement with EU on readmission. As a matter of fact, official Kyiv imposed to accept back its citizens who violated the migration regime, and also illegal migrants who got to Europe through territory of Ukraine. The conditions of their keeping should answer European standards. Legislation should also correspond. Brussels instead promised to abolish visas. There is 98 km of border of Ukraine with Slovakia. It is the most popular area for illegal migrants. Woods and mountains give the chance to cross the border.
Many illegal migrants are found with the help of thermal imagers. They actually scan the territory some kilometers away and even at night when it is difficult to examine the area. They wanted to get to Europe. They tried to pass round the border guards but occasionally came upon the detail. Detained illegal migrants are mainly the emigrants from former Soviet republics.
Marina, illegal migrant:
– Why did not you go legally? Because it costs € 4000 through a mediator. The Slovaks do not open the visa and the Czechs as well.
Marina is from Moldova. Her way was to Italy where she could earn more than at her motherland. She spent two days in the woods. As soon as she got out of it to the road she and her husband were detained.
– We are going back home and then we’ll see. Probably we will try once more and this time through Romania.
They are taken here – to temporary detention centre. The maximal term of stay here is 10 days.
Harisha Kumara is prepared to be sent back home to India. He tried a new way to get to cherished Europe. He paid some thousand dollars for entering the university. Thus, he got legally to Ukraine. Then he paid $3000 to smugglers.
If it is clear with documents so illegal migrants are sent back home. In case if they do not have passports, so they are taken to temporary detention centres where they can live for six months.
Nelya Sochik, sector chief on readmission issues of MOI of Ukraine:
– In case if it is hard to identify a person, as it is European practice – so we have to release this person. As a rule they are apprehended repeatedly and it continues till it is possible to identify a person.
Boris Marchenko, the first deputy director of Border Security Department of Border Service of Ukraine:
– It was said that we would accept from 100 to 500 thousand persons. Nowadays, if speaking about agreement implementation, we realized readmission of 300 persons.
Today one illegal migrant costs 20UAH to Ukrainian taxpayers a day not taking into account the sum for deportation. One way ticket costs sometimes up to $ 3000. For all this European Union has promised to abolish visas. Ukraine fulfilled its conditions. Now the word stays for Brussels. Kyiv is waiting…