Customs Equipment in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

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The Customs Post of Ormenio forms an entry and exit point between our country and the neighbouring country of Bulgaria, as well as a part of the European Union’s external borders. Geopolitical conditions, as well as the economic structure and articulation of the eligible area of Greece, combined with the existing situation in neighbouring Bulgaria, have contributed to the area becoming part of the most important axis of the Balkan Peninsula. The implementation of projects on the basic axes of the neighbouring country, with the implementation in parallel of the Via Egnatia Project and its total of eight vertical axes contributes to the growth of the number of vehicles passing through the Customs Post of Ormenio, which on average 35,000 passengers pass through every month (that is, approximately 1,160 people every day) as well as 9,000 private cars and buses (about 300 per day). Taking into consideration as well, firstly, the formation of the area’s land, where the large mountainous bulks affect the ease of access to and inspection of the areas on both sides of the border; secondly, the expected demographic, economic, and social development of the area; and thirdly, the fact that the border in question is considered one of the greatest routes for the trafficking of drugs, psychotropic substances, and other illegal substances, but also of weapons, gold, other precious and semi-precious stones, as well as other items such as petroleum products, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, fabrics, leather goods, clothing and footwear, technological products and other goods with high customs duty costs, of which intense smuggling is observed, the need to modernize and equip the customs post mentioned above is logical. Since the inflow of immigrants during the last decade amounts to 7.11% of the entire population of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, it is considered an urgent need to procure new innovative machines that will allow the customs authorities to conduct effective and efficient inspections, without the creation of lines and delays or hindering the movement of people and goods. The goal of the present proposal is to deal with the inhibiting conditions described above through the procurement of a self-moving x-ray system for the inspection of baggage and packages, a closed circuit for the electronic recording of incoming and departing vehicles, a flexible probe with video, as well as five special on-road and off-road cars that can be used under difficult driving and weather conditions for the reinforcement of enforcement teams and the transportation of specially trained detection dogs.

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