Coordinator of legal department of Vostok-SOS Levon Azizyan told about the situation regarding crossing the contact line and the problems that people may face during the process.
Until there is a contact line in Ukraine with checkpoints thousands of people on both side are interested to find out about rules that they need to follow crossing it. Informator wrote many times what problems our citizens face when they need to get from Ukraine controlled territory to occupied territory and back. But the situation constantly changes, so we decided to raise this subject again.
– What are the most common problems that our citizens face when they have to cross the contact line often?
– I think the biggest problem for such people is the fact that DPR and LPR exist.
– How many checkpoints in ATO zone operate now?
– Right now there are only 3 operating checkpoints in the whole ATO zone. The 1st one is located in Zaitseve villae on the road between Horlivka and Artemivsk, the 2nd one is near Novotroitske village between Volnovakha and Donetsk and the 3rd one is near Hnutove not far from Mariupil.
– Previously it was reported in the media that there are “unofficial” pedestrian crossing points.
– As far as I know, now all of them are blocked by our authorities and the only official way to cross the contact line is to go through one of the three checkpoints mentioned above. But a lot of people prefer to go via the territory of occupant country.
– How does it work?
– They get on a regular bus that enters the territory of Russian Federation. From there, usually from the territory of Belgorod Region, they enter Kharkov Region. When entering Ukraine border guards register administrative protocols on them for breaking the rules of crossing the state border. For drivers of such buses everything can be even more serious, last week criminal case “For organizing of illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine” was started against one of such bus drivers who operates on the route “from Ukraine to Ukraine via Russia”.
– In case such protocol is written how big a fine can be?
– As far as I know people don’t pay anything. They just take this protocol and fix that problem in the court somehow.
– What do you think about the system of passenger transportation through the contact line?
– It’s totally illegal. In point 1.6 of temporal order of entering to uncontrolled territory and leaving it all regular transport connection between occupied and unoccupied territory is banned. Nevertheless such transport connection is widespread. Usually those who provide such transportation do it in such way: they use mini-busses that can take up to 8 people. This number of people is allowed to cross the contact line using a vehicle. Sometimes regular buses are used also, all passengers get out of the bus before it gets to the checkpoint, only 8 people stay inside, the rest cross the contact line on foot. And on another side people get in a bus again.
– What is current situation regarding issuing permissions to cross the contact line?
– Today most of the people who need such permission have it. But those who need that apply to get it again. You should remember that that permission is issued for certain period of time and don’t give you a right to cross the contact line forever. The permission is valid for 1 year maximum. After that people have to apply for new permission again and again.
– What is the process of getting such permission now and what are common problems people face?
– Citizens register on the website of Security Service of Ukraine and apply. Each citizen can register 5 applications not related to each other. I think the good innovation is that now citizens can specify all sectors in application, this was different in past. Also people don’t have to provide all copies of documents, it is enough just to fill the form. The real term of getting the permission is about 12-19 days and not 10 as promised by authorities.
–What would you advise to those who decided to cross the contact line for the 1st time via one of the checkpoints?
– I advise to be calm, don’t get in a conflict with armed men, representatives of legal authorities or illegal armed groups. If they would ask for a bride on Ukrainian side I would recommend to call “hot line” of Security Service of Ukraine of State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, but unfortunately it’s impossible to reach them.
– What is allowed and what is not allowed to take via the contact line?
– You can take food worth up to 5 000 UAH per person in 24 hours, but no more than 50 kg. As for medicine, you can have no more than 10 different drugs, except those that can be used for dual purpose. For example, if you decided to take 10 bandages, at the checkpoint they may suspect that you are taking that for representatives of illegal armed groups.
– What documents are required if you have children with you when getting to uncontrolled territory?
– In order to take a child to occupied territory you need power of attorney from father, mother or guardian. If one of the parents is going with a child, you need to have power of attorney from the other one.
I also know that at checkpoints people who try to come from occupied territory but don’t have valid ID often have problems. For example, a person turned 16 and because he lives on occupied territory he couldn’t get Ukrainian passport. Or a person turned 25, but he couldn’t put new photo in his passport for the same reason. In such cases there can be problems crossing the contact line, but usually authorities help such people.
Aleksey Chernov for Informator.lg.ua