Finance Minister Sven Sester on Monday inaugurated the new pedestrian and vehicle terminal of the Narva-1 checkpoint on the Estonian-Russian border that will make crossing of the border faster and more convenient and contribute to the development of tourism and business.
Narva checkpoint gets new pedestrian, vehicle terminal
20th July 2015, 18:02
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Sester said travelers and businesspeople from all over the world whose travels take them via Narva can be glad about the new facility, spokespeople for the ministry said.
«Almost two decades ago a checkpoint that was excellent in its time was opened in Narva, which enabled to develop trade and tourism, ensure the security of the state and the people and prevent smuggling,» Sester said. «In the years since then the Estonian border has become external border of the European Union and the complex of the border checkpoint completed in 1997 no longer meets the needs of the traffic flows that need to be served.»
The minister said that with the inauguration of a part of the complex on Monday reconstruction of the checkpoint was not yet completed.
«Money is there for the construction of the truck terminal, bus passenger terminal and bridge gallery to be completed in Phase Two, and I hope that reconstruction of the border checkpoint will be completed still this year,» he said.
In his remarks released ahead of the event, Interior Minister Hanno Pevkur said that as a result of the completion of the project crossing the border will become significantly faster and more comfortable for the people and the throughput capacity of the checkpoint will increase tangibly.
«The Narva border checkpoint is one of the biggest road links connecting the European Union and Russia,» the minister said. The new terminal facility will definitely make a significant contribution to the region's development and the checkpoint's overhaul was necessary not only for the development of East-Viru County but for all of Estonia, he added.
Indrek Puvi, head of the office for border guard at the Police and Border Guard Board, pointed out that more than 3.6 million people pass through the checkpoint annually. Puvi also highlighted the role of the checkpoint as a gateway to the European Union and the better work conditions it offers to staff.
As part of the overhaul the previous 500 square meter pedestrian terminal was pulled down and a new terminal building almost three times bigger was erected in its place. There are eight passenger queue lanes, 12 vehicle lanes and two bus lanes at the new terminal.
The opening ceremony on Monday was attended by Finance Minister Sven Sester, director general of the Tax and Customs Board Marek Helm, Narva City Mayor Eduard East, head of the department for border guard policy at the Interior Ministry Rando Kruusmaa and chief of the East prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board Vallo Koppel and the manager of the Oma Ehitaja company that carried out the construction work, Kaido Fridolin
The cost of the overhaul of Narva-1 was 7.5 million euros and the works were financed with money from the Estonia-Latvia-Russia program for cross-border cooperation for 2007-2013 under the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) as well as the state budget.