The Director of the Federal security service of Russia Alexander Bortnikov has signed the order about establishment of the border zone in the Pskov, Smolensk and Bryansk regions bordering with Belarus.
The orders dated December 29, 2016, registered in Ministry of justice of Russia on January 26 and will take effect 10 days later, i.e. on 6 February.
Each of the orders of the head of the FSB determines the new borders of the border zone — in fact along the entire border with Belarus. The zone spelled out in detail for each district in the territory of three Russian regions and linked to geographic coordinates.
The border Directorate of the FSB in the Pskov, Smolensk and Bryansk regions were ordered to set locations and time for entry of vehicles and passage of persons in the border zone. Also ordered to install at the entrances to a border zone warning signs.
Before the adoption of the document, the border zone in the Pskov region took place along the coast of the Pskov-Peipsi lake and along the land borders of Russia with Latvia and Estonia, and in Bryansk — the narrow strip along the border with Ukraine. In the Smolensk region, which is entirely adjacent to Belarus, the border zone was not at all.
The establishment of Russian border zone along the border with Belarus can be connected with the decision of the official Minsk to establish a visa-free entry to Belarus for up to five days in Minsk airport for the nationals of 80 countries, including all European Union as well as Brazil, Indonesia, USA, Japan and some other countries.
The corresponding decree Alexander Lukashenko signed on 9 January this year — after 11 days after the signing of the three above-mentioned orders of the head of the FSB. However, in an interview with reporters January 10, the press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Russian side was aware of the impending step of the Belarusian authorities. Answering the question whether the Minsk coordinated his actions with Moscow, Peskov said, “as service [Russia and Belarus] are in constant and daily coordination, including in the framework of the Union state, there is no doubt shouldn’t be”.
In the Kremlin the decision of Minsk for a partial simplification of the visa regime called an internal affair of Belarus.
What is the difference between the border area and border zone
In September 2014, Alexander Lukashenka signed decree No. 433 on the establishment of the border area within the administrative-territorial units adjacent to the state border of Belarus with Russia.
This decision by some Russian media and experts remembered in connection with the order of the head of the Federal security service of the Russian Federation about establishment of the border zone in the Pskov, Smolensk and Bryansk regions bordering with Belarus.
However, according to experts, a border zone and border area is not identical concepts.
“Border area is a broader concept than border zone, explained to BelaPAN, the official representative of the State border Committee Anton Bychkovsky. — This concept implies certain legal conditions for the activities of the border service in the area. However on location, which is a border area, do not enter any of the border regime. A border zone or border strip are introduced in order to ensure the border regime the state border regime”.
According to information posted on the website of the state border Committee, state border zone in Belarus installed in areas of the regions of Vitebsk, Brest, Grodno and Gomel regions, which are adjacent to the state border with Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. In the Mogilev region, which is completely adjacent to the border with Russia, the border zone does not exist.
Buffer for illegal migration
For Belarusian citizens entering the territory of the Russian Federation and of citizens of third countries may be extended the innovation of the Federal border service of Russia concerning the stay in the border area in connection with the establishment on the border with Belarus.
This opinion in comments to the BelaPAN was said by an expert in the field of national security Alexander Tishchenko. Reservations regarding the citizens of Belarus in this case, he said.
The expert believes that Russia creates buffer for illegal migration. However, he reminded that Belarus has imposed a regime of border territories for the provision of prevention of activities of bodies of internal Affairs and the border, but the border zone regime is much more serious.
The problem, according to Alexander Tishchenko, is now in the competence of the foreign ministries of the two countries.
At the same time in the border service of Federal security service of Russia to the correspondent of BelaPAN posadili that the citizens of Belarus the decision on the introduction of a border zone on the border with Belarus will not affect.
“For the citizens of Belarus, who crossed the border with Russia, everything will remain as before: you need to have only the passport, no additional documents are required,” — said the representative of the FSB border service.
The decision of the Russian side regards third country nationals who are traveling from Belarus to Russia.
The opposition demands response
Activists of “BPF youth” mark Grinevich and Artem Kosovars urged the Belarusian authorities to enter the border zone on the border with Russia. The statement they sent on 2 February in the name of the President of Belarus and the State border Committee in connection with the introduction of the Russian Federation border zone on the border with the Republic of Belarus, reported the press service of the youth organization.
The state border Committee is also invited to consider the introduction of full control on the Eastern border of the country and “infrastructure”. This, according to social activists, “will help to strengthen good relations with Russia”, and also to protect Belarus “on the traffic of drugs, arms, illegal migrants”, to strengthen independence and sovereignty.
Alexander Lukashenko activists of “BPF Youth” please “as quickly as possible to create an edge group on the border with Russia to protect the Eastern border, which will help to strengthen the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus”.
“We fully support the demands and suggestions of our activists, however, want to note that such measures had to be introduced long ago. Unfortunately, up to this point, more than 1,200 km of our Eastern border is not under adequate protection, which creates a great danger to the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus”, — commented on the appeal of the head of the youth organization Yuri Lukashevich.
“BPF youth” calls upon Belarusian citizens to send appeals to the presidential Administration demanding to restore the border with Russia.
It should be noted that the question of the need for the introduction of full control on the border with Russia repeatedly raised during the parliamentary election campaign of 2016 candidates Uladzimir Padhol and Ales Taustyka.
