Andrei Belyaninov: Mr Putin, I would like to report on the implementation of the Concept for Transferring Customs Clearance and the work we did in Moscow.
Vladimir Putin: How many customs clearance points did you relocate?
Andrei Belyaninov: The number of checkpoints operating at the border has remained as before. The first stage was to transfer customs clearance from Moscow, which had four customs offices and 45 clearance points. Now we have one office and five highly specialised points, without which the city would not be able to handle its operations. These are the General Post Office, the diplomatic freight and exhibition activity services, and the railway office. We have also cut the amount of vehicles - which numbered about 1,500-2,000 - that enter Moscow every day.
The next stage is to transfer customs procedures from the Moscow Region. There, we currently have four offices and 56 customs clearance points. This year, we could cut the number of offices to three, and clearance points to 44.
Vladimir Putin: I hope that, in parallel with this, the activities of these checkpoints operating on the border will develop and expand.
Andrei Belyaninov: We have completed the Krupets checkpoint of the Kursk customs and the Verkhny Lars checkpoint in North Ossetia. We need Georgia to cooperate here to let Armenian goods pass.
In addition, we have built many supporting facilities. But since we do not have a federal targeted programme due to financial constraints, we have been holding negotiations with various businesses. This has proved to be fruitful, especially in the Central Federal District, on the border with Ukraine. We started defining new customs clearance points that should be not far from the existing ones; in this regard, I can mention Nekhoteyevka in the Belgorod Region, and Troyebortnoye near Bryansk. I would like to report on that.
We also have had some problems concerning the transfer of customs clearance points from Moscow, and even faced some provocations, because businesses were unhappy with the rather grey areas in clearance procedures.
This is also considered to be customs crimes prevention. In Moscow, some said there could be restrictions with food and meat deliveries, but these predictions have been wrong.
We have been implementing the Concept. But Moscow and the Moscow Region have proved to be the most strenuous checkpoints, and from March 1 we have less work.
Vladimir Putin: Please continue with your decisions on the Moscow Region.
Andrei Belyaninov: Not only on the Moscow Region but also on the Leningrad Region, which has too many customs clearance points. We will continue our work in accordance with the Concept, Mr Putin.
Vladimir Putin: Good.