Baltic States – CIS, Corruption, Estonia, Financial Services, Legislation, Ukraine

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"The Police and Border Guard Board is making a contribution as well to enhancing the capabilities of Ukraine in the fight against organized crime and corruption, in border administration and road safety," Reet Zeisig, head of the office for international cooperation at the Police and Border Guard Board, told BNS on Thursday.

Visiting the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on Wednesday, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said that Estonia will send its specialists to help train corruption combating officials in Ukraine.

According to Zeisig, it is a priority for the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board to support the sustainability and development of the law enforcement agencies of the countries of Eastern Partnership.

Cooperation between the police of the Chernigiv region of Ukraine and the South prefecture of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board has been going on for several years.

"From the beginning of 2018 to the end of the summer of 2019, Estonian police will support their colleagues in the Chernigiv region by providing training and sharing their experiences both when it comes to the successes had and the lessons learned," Zeisig said.

Under the framework of development cooperation, the South prefecture is sharing its experiences related to enhancing cooperation between the police control center and patrols. Also the topic of how to improve trust between local residents and the police is explored, she added.

The office for combating corruption crimes of Estonia's Central Criminal Police and the Internal Audit Office of the Police and Border Guard Board meanwhile have conducted training courses for Ukrainian officers in combating money laundering and corruption.

"Cooperation with Ukraine in matters related to the national border also dates back many years, having got its start with a cooperation agreement concluded in 1999 and functioning to this day. We are working together in combating illegal immigration, in areas such as stolen vehicles and documents, and modern border solutions," Zeisig said.

Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, who is about to conclude the official part of her visit to Ukraine on Thursday, on several occasions during the visit emphasized the importance of reinforcing the rule of law and combating corruption in Ukraine.