Who needs the lines in ATO area?

After the war actions began, a serious problem of transporting citizens and goods between the occupied territory and the free lands emerged in the Donbas. When the situation on the demarcation line became relatively stable, the question of systemic control of the migration arose. Since January 2015 a pass system was introduced in the Donbas. Since that moment a special pass was needed to cross the demarcation line between the territories under Ukrainian control and the so-called DNR and LNR. This approach resulted in huge lines at the checkpoints where people stand for hours. At the same time, if we look, for example, at the railway station in Bakhmut (former Artemivsk), we will see that the coal from DNR and LNR is transported on a regular basis. So, we have a double approach: on the one hand, Ukraine continues the half-secret trade relations, on the other hand, common citizens must go through humiliating trials at the checkpoints. All the efforts of the SBU to improve the process with passes (even a system of registering the passes online) have been to no avail. Besides, how can the citizens on the occupied territory register at the SBU website if it has been closed by the terrorists?

Luhansk resident Vitalii O. says: “Today my brother couldn’t pass Stanytsia. The Armed Forces of Ukraine didn’t let him. It turned out on January 1, 2016 paper passes became invalid. And people haven’t been warned about this. He stood in lines under the cold rain, and there were a lot of people like him. The number of people who believe in Ukraine on the occupied territory is decreasing. The reason is the attitude to them at the checkpoints. There is an oral instruction not to let trucks with the capacity of over three tons to Ukrainian territory. So, Ukrainians who are trying to bring their business, their property to the free territory are not let in by the Ukrainian side. The drivers, by the way, spent two nights at the checkpoints.”

Apparently, the efficiency of this passing regime is low. However, the Ukrainian side is itself creating conditions for a negative attitude to our side, especially taking into account those who used to lead the separatist movement and now is living in the capital. This state of affairs implies that someone is very interested in creating obstacles in the demarcation area, because they create room for bribery.

COMMENTARY

“JOINT MANEUVER GROUPS SHOULD WORK INSTEAD OF A PASSING REGIME”

Oleksandr KIKHTENKO, ex-chair of the Donetsk Military-Civilian Administration:

“In my time I categorically opposed the introduction of this pass regime. The pass system was introduced, following the decision of the RNBO. I was trying to prove why this thing shouldn’t be done. The forecasts I made then are now coming true. I was assured that this pass regime was organized in a way to prevent lines, discomfort for people, and corruption. But it has turned out vice versa. This passing regime has zero efficiency. There are no sensational arrests on the checkpoints. No terrorists will stand in a line for hours to get handcuffed near a turnpike. Secondly, the actions of the servicemen, the State Fiscal Service, the border service, the policemen, are often provocative and corrupt. There are many examples when you may pass a checkpoint for a 500-hryvnia bribe. I suggest the following: to implement the pass regime selectively and by Ukrainian passports. Incidentally, the same is done in the so-called DNR. Our side is checking bags. The question is why do we need to check a person who is over 70, as if s/he is an accomplice of terrorists?

“We have not refused from the occupied territory. We have our people there, our citizens. And the citizens are not to blame for the fact that this territory is not under our control for the time being. They simply cannot get out of there, because there is no place to go, which is why they are staying there. And we create problems for them, as a result they cannot go for treatment, catch a train or a plane, or even get to a funeral. They cannot get to a funeral in time, can you imagine? This creates tension. As a result, it doesn’t make people closer to Ukraine. Vice versa, it estranges them and shapes a negative image of the state. Why did they cancel the regular buses? This is utmost impudence. A pass is the most primitive thing they could come up with. We don’t need passes to fight terrorists, we need an intelligence service.

“As for the so-called smuggling. If the company located on the occupied territory is registered in Ukraine and is paying taxes to the Ukrainian budget, we must do everything to provide normal conditions for its functioning. If tomorrow a miner is left without a hammer, he will take up weapons to maintain his family. What are we doing? We are not letting goods across the border. They go across the Russian border and then enter Ukraine. So, we leave the customs duties to the aggressor. The number of Ukrainian goods is decreasing. If the terrorists find food, they either take it, or they will receive it from Russia. What about the ordinary citizens? They are suffering. Moreover, there have been incidents when people died in lines.

“I understand that this system is convenient for the security forces and other interested people. There are concrete people who can provide the delivery of smuggled goods. There is also a list of companies that are allowed to bring in their produce. These decisions are made on the highest level. The component of corruption is very high there.

“Only joint maneuver groups should work instead of the passing regime. Imagine how many people are involved at the checkpoints instead of fulfilling their direct army duties. Apart from that, the number of the checkpoints is too high. It turns out that this is neither a war, nor an ATO. ATO must last for several hours, a day or three days, but not for two years. What kind of ATO is this, when nothing is done, and the focus is on the checking of the citizens? Work with the sabotage-reconnaissance groups and detain them. So, my opinion is: the passing system should be cancelled. This will not cause any problems. Vice versa, we will make people closer. If we decided to refuse from this territory, we should say this clearly.”