Donetsk, Feb 2 - DAN. The procedure to cross the state border between the Donbass Republics and Russia is expected to be simplified by the coming spring, State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament deputy from the “United Russia” faction, First Deputy Chairman of the house Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky told the Donetsk News Agency.

“I’m planning to hold several meetings with the heads of our Federal Border Service, Federal Customs Service and Economic Development Ministry after returning from Donetsk and Lugansk. With an increase in the cross-border traffic by the spring, we must not have the situations where a tremendous number of people are queueing for days as they did in previous years, because it’s inadmissible,” Vodolatsky said. “We have to create good comfortable conditions for the people. I believe we’ll fulfil this task.”

The crossing points will increase their capacity and work faster, and the Government Services portal will be used as well to help make the border crossing procedure easier, he said adding that security was another important task.

“We’ll be using all methods for secure border-crossing and for barring the outsiders (who can enter perhaps via “Stanitsa Luganskaya” (checkpoint on the contact line between the Lugansk People’s Republic and Ukraine - eds DAN). There are enough foes on the other side,” the Russian lawmaker said.  

Last August, Vodolatsky told DAN that he was drawing proposals to deal with the queues on Russia’s border with the Donbass Republics.

The DPR has three customs checkpoints on the border with the Russian Federation: “Marinovka,” “Novoazovsk,” and “Uspenka.” *jk