From 8 to 11 of April, in Przemyśl, Poland, CELBET trainers shared their knowledge and best practices on bus search techniques.
The training took place in the CELBET Center of Expertise, located in the National Revenue School of the Polish Revenue Administration in Przemyśl. The place of Center of Expertise on bus search hasn’t been chosen by accident. Przemyśl is the city that is closest to the Polish-Ukrainian border. Additionally, the local National Revenue School has a unique training capacity and necessary infrastructure for all bus search training needs.
The training was performed by experienced trainers: Wojciech Narkun, Robert Szewczyk and Marian Wiszniewski from Poland and Jeno Csaki and Kovacs from Hungary (in online mode). For the first time training was held in a hybrid form: Polish trainers at the place and Hungarian trainers presented their part in online form.
Customs officers from Ukraine and Moldova, were able to take part in CELBET training, thanks to EUBAM* initiative and request and active cooperation.
During the first day, which was theoretical part, trainers presented methodology of bus control, risk analysis case studies and psychological aspects of control at the border. Trainees had also their part in the presentation. Moldavian and Ukrainian officers shared interesting cases of seizures and information on national implementation of bus search topic.
Whole second day trainees spend on a special training bus workshops, where they could test their freshly gained knowledge and updated skills in a real bus, tailored to the training needs.
The final point of the training was control on a real border – Polish-Ukrainian border crossing point in Medyka. All trainees were divided into groups. Each group had its own control area: travelers’ luggage, buses and minibuses. Although there were no seizures, all participants agreed that the training was very interesting and became a meaningful step in their customs career. They have also expressed high appreciation for the perfect organization of the event.
What is worth mentioning is that two officers from Ukraine work in an Ukrainian Customs Service training center and as they claimed, they definately will adopt the training’s solutions and way of organization.
Bus search training for Ukrainian and Moldavian officers was organized for the first time but CELBET has been cooperating with Moldova and Ukraine for 3 years already, within the Transport Community and Western Balkans initiative. ( read more about CELBET involvement – article )
EUBAM – The European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine works in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to:
-Promote European Union border management standards and procedures for a quicker crossing of people and goods;
-Enhance the professional capacities of the Moldovan and Ukrainian Customs and Border Authorities;
-Assist Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities in combating cross-border crime more efficiently;
-Act as a catalyst and bring together key stakeholders to strengthen cross-border cooperation between the border authorities and law enforcement agencies;
-Contribute to the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.
