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A new scanner is already operating at the border crossing in Vyšné Němec. According to Igor Matovič, many were satisfied that the old one did not work well.

TASR,
The truth

05/09/2021 00:00

New scanner for vehicle control at the Vyšné Nemecké-Užhorod border crossing.

A new scanner for checking trucks and cars is already operating at the border crossing in Vyšné Germany. It was ceremoniously put into operation on Saturday by the Minister of Finance Igor Matovič (OĽANO) together with the President of the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic Jiří Žežulka.

According to Matovič, problems with the scanner in the previous period were not solved intentionally.

“Many people in the state leadership, both in the management of the Financial Administration and in the management of the Ministry of Finance, were satisfied that there is literally a black hole through which uncustomed goods can get, or simply that it is not enough to check everything that should be checked and that there was a scanner that sometimes worked and sometimes mysteriously didn’t work, “said Matovič.

VIDEO: New scanner in Vyšné Germany. Igor Matovič accused the previous state leadership of leaving him in a bad condition on purpose.

“Vyšné Nemecké is a strategic transition for Slovakia and the European Union. It is our commitment to the EU and our obligation to prevent goods that do not enter the territory properly or are subject to any prohibitions and restrictions from entering the territory of the EU. Unfortunately, Vyšné Nemecké as a border crossing has long been undersized in terms of staff or technology. Since 2005, we have been working here with a gift from the People’s Republic of China, a stationary scanner that has been in operation for 15 years, five years beyond its service life, and has recently become more dysfunctional than functional. That is why I am very happy to be able to present a new stationary scanning system today, “said Žežulka.

Within two months, the necessary construction modifications were carried out in the control hall of the stationary inspection scanning system (ISS) and the adaptation of the technical infrastructure to the new technology. As Žežulka said, after its involvement, they will be able to equip approximately 140 trucks in 24 hours.

“If we combine a stationary scanner with our mobile scanner, which serves as an alternative here today, we will be able to handle up to 180 trucks in one day, which is the first swallow that big columns should really stop forming here and we should no longer listen to the fact that there are drivers who stand for three, four days, or even a week, “added Žežulka, adding that the number of workers at the border crossing is currently increased by 20 and another 30 will be added by the end of the year at the latest.

“I am very happy that modern technology is here today. We will protect the interest of taxpayers in Slovakia, as it is both the collection of customs duties and the interest of the European Union, given that most, or essentially all, customs duties end in the common budget of the European Union, “said Matovič.

According to Žežulka, they have also prepared a large project for the construction of a new modern border crossing in Vyšné Nemecky. Its goal is to increase capacity. The cost is estimated at 60 million euros. As he said, they will propose a solution to the Minister of Finance and through him to the Government of the Slovak Republic.

FS SR procured a new ISS through public procurement. The scanner was awarded € 3,420,000, of which € 1,800,000 came from an EU grant under the Hercule III program. The remaining amount was financed from the state budget.