Rosgranitsa to carry on e-border queuing reservation system project with Finland
ST. PETERSBURG. Feb 3 (Interfax) - The Federal Agency for the Development of State Border Facilities of the Russian Federation (Rosgranitsa) still plans to launch an e-border queuing reservation system at the Torfyanovka motor checkpoint on the border with Finland in 2015.
"A decline in tourist arrivals we have been witnessing lately will have no influence on the Russian plans. I have to say that the main purpose of the e-border queuing reservation system is to make the crossing of Russia's border comfortable," a source in the northwestern department of Rosgranitsa told Interfax on Tuesday.
He said the project would be implemented this year.
"Extensive preparations are being done to coordinate this project with the government of the Leningrad region, executive authorities and other interested parties. Adjustments of Russian laws are also being prepared," the source said.
If the Torfyanovka project proves successful, there will be similar systems at the Ivangorod and Svetogorsk motor checkpoints as well, the department representative said.
Finland started up a pilot e-border queuing reservation system at the Vaalimaa checkpoint in the end of 2014. The system was supposed to service all types of vehicles. Yet, the portal Yle.fi said it had been decided not to apply the system to passenger transport because of a decline in tourist arrivals.