Improvement of Latvian-Belarusian cross border accessibility and connectivity through simplified border crossing point Kaplava-Plusi

Short title: NEIGHBOURS’ ROAD

PRIORITY 1: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Measure 1.3: Improvement of cross border accessibility through development of transport and communication networks and related services

Beneficiary: Krāslava local municipality (Krāslava, Latvia)
Partners: Braslav District Executive Committee (Braslav, Belarus), Daugavpils Administration of State Border Guard of the Republic of Latvia (Daugavpils, Latvia), State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Minsk, Belarus), Committee of Economy of Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee (Vitebsk, Belarus)

PROBLEM: As the new agreement on simplified border crossing (SBC) for Latvian and Belarusian inhabitants in 50 km border area was ratified by both governments in 2010, the flow of travelers has increased immensely. State Border Guard administrations and local municipalities on both sides of the border identified the need to improve the transport infrastructure directly leading to the border, the technical basis of the SBC point Kaplava-Plusi for more efficient border control. This project will also help to increase knowledge about SBC procedure and popularize the use of SBC point Kaplava-Plusi avoiding queues on the international border crossing points.

OBJECTIVE: The project aims at contributing to the advanced accessibility and connectivity of Latvian-Belarusian border areas by improving neighbours’ road leading to the SBC point Kaplava-Plusi on both sides of the border and by raising knowledge of local inhabitants of 11 border municipalities (8 in Latvia and 3 in Belarus) on applying for simplified border crossing procedure.

RESULTS&OUTPUTS:

In order to improve accessibility and connectivity of Latvian-Belarussian border areas, 3 kilometres of the road leading to the “Kaplava-Plusi” Border-Crossing Point on both sides of the Latvian-Belarusian border were reconstructed. A parking lot was also reconstructed on the Belarusian side.
New modern equipment and software was also purchased for the Latvian and Belarusian border guards.
The project partners organised 2 joint seminars and informed the general public about simplified border-crossing procedures.