Policing EU frontiers on snazzy snowmobiles
21 december is going to be a busy time for and as they criss-cross Europe, passportless to celebrate the widening of the
From that date, the borderless part of the European Union, the free travel area, is going to include that joined the EU three years ago. But the real action is happening now in the snowy woods between Ukraine and Slovakia. Two border police whizz past the silver birch trees on their rather snazzy new snowmobiles, leaving a shower of white in their wake.
Back in headquarters a half-hour drive away, an alarm rings and another policeman checks which camera has signalled the alert. He winds back the film to see what movement has caused the alarm. It was only a bird.
There's no need to alert the men on the snowmobile or any of the other guards patrolling the border. It's all part of a massive investment to protect a border that is less than 65 miles long. Five years ago there were nearly 300 border police now there are just short of 900.
The snowmobiles aren't their only new kit. They have quadbikes, top of the range four-wheel drive Mercedes, and vans mounted with night-sighted CCTV cameras.
They have 70 police dogs, special sensors to detect people hiding in coaches or good trains and they operate out of seven brand new police stations. One particularly sensitive area of the border has 250 security cameras along a stretch of less than 20 miles.
This has all cost 53 million pounds, much of it from European Union coffers. It appears that it is working and illegal immigrants are being caught. In the control room, we watch black and white film shot a few days ago - three men climbing under a fence that marks the border.
Less hi-tech means work as well and the head of the border police tells me proudly that, whilst out driving, he spotted two men crossing a field and promptly arrested them.
Of those caught, the biggest number are from Moldova while there are also a lot from India, Pakistan and China. They are all trying to get into the European Union and the reason this border is being strengthened is out of fear that, any who make it will be able to travel to most parts of the EU.
By the way, I can't explain the one Australian who was caught trying to get into Ukraine from Slovakia. I hope to speak to some of those detained tomorrow and, if I'm successful, you can read their stories here on Monday.
UPDATE
It seems while we were out playing with snowmobiles, Slovak security agents further towards the Hungarian border were arresting three men for trying to smuggle enriched uranium.
I am now on the Ukrainian side of the border and there seem to me three big questions.
- • Did they have a buyer in mind?
- • Is this really about building a nuclear bomb?
- • Where did the material come from - could it indeed have been smuggled across they very border we were looking at?
The Slovak police now say they arrested two Ukrainians and a Hungarian trying to smuggle enouugh uranium to make a dirty bomb. They say they were going from Hungary to Slovakia. This seems a rather odd direction of travel: police seem to assume the plan was was to sell it in Slovakia but don't know to whom. One to keep an eye on.
I’m Mark Mardell, the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's North America editor. These are my reflections on American politics, some thoughts on being a Brit living in the USA, and who knows what else? My 
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This article is too funny.
Fortress Europe indeed lives on. Along with good old-fashioned European paranoia of "outsiders".
Too bad the indigenous peoples of this planet didn't have quadbikes, 4-wheel drive Mercedes and vans with CCTV to keep the Euros out when they were stealing everyone's land.
"By the way, I can't explain the one Australian who was caught trying to get into Ukraine from Slovakia."
Well, Labour Party has just election Down Under so some people are afraid to be down and out...
Well the big questions at the end of the article stand out loud indeed... Because 1kg of radioactive material is a serious point of discussion... And one other question is where the hell did they manage to get so much of it.
It's a victory! My parents and grandparents FOUGHT for this. Every time a political border comes down I cheer inside. A lifetime traveller and migrant, I clearly remember the border crossings in the low countries at the beginning of the Schengen process. They weren't demolished...they were left to rot. It seemed a fitting comment on that most distasteful of human creations - the frontier.
I long for the day when the Schengen area has grown to encompass the whole world and a man with a wheelbarrow, a driver with a load, an old lady with a picnic in the boot or two boys with fishing rods over their shoulders, can walk, drive, fly or swim or even tunnel - just as their desire takes them - to anywhere they want to go. It's called freedom; the sensation you get from not being behind walls.
It's worth remembering that walls don't protect you from burglars; that's illusion. It's policing that protects you from burglars, and so it must be with our greater community-at-large. Don't worry about that folks, I've met some lovely and very efficient police-people in eastern Europe. There's a dogged determination to do things right by their neighbours, and a level of competence and integrity that would astonish many.
The existence of the Schengen Zone underlines in an anything but subtle manner the value of the EU. For all its flaws (and in any community you're going to get disagreement on some principles)it has delivered freedom and security to millions and millions and millions of people.
So where am I coming from? Once a Brit, once a long-time Far East resident, I live in a small eastern European country these days. I can be in Venice or Vienna or Ljubljana in two hours and no-one - NO-ONE - is going to point their uniformed hand at me and grunt that word that has come to epitomise some of the most terrifying times in human history..."PAPERS!"
It would make sense to worship the EU and Schengen: it just ain't the same in other places. Believe me...I've been there.
This was all a lot easier when the fence ran through Germany and our armies were sat either side of it...
Actually, not all 10 countries that joined in 2004 are entering Schengen. It is all except Cyprus.
Anyway, I hope you find out more about the uranium smuggling operation.
My wife and I, who both live in Krakow, Poland are looking forward to worry-free travel to the Czech Republic and possibly Latvia next year. Joining the Schengen area will be a boon for Poles and I for one am looking forward to it!
To Kathleen
National borders are a fairly late invention (19th century?). And peoples have been marauding into and ruling over each other's territories since time began (how far do you want to go back?).
The "funny" bit is that the british anti-europe brigade are always complaining about laxity on everyone else's borders. Mark here describes how they should now be able to sleep more easily in their own fortress-within-a- fortress.
To John Newson: You are lucky living where you do. Here in the UK, we are not part of Schengen, so are subjected to long delays at every entry point into the UK where we are all required to queue whilst uniformed officers demand "our papers" before we (citizens of the UK and the EU) can enter our own country.
But for our Government, that is not enough. From 2009, we will be required to produce full personal details before we are allowed OUT (as well as back in). The old East German Stasi would be proud of modern British Government policy.
To Derek:
As you say, people may have been "marauding into and ruling over each other's territories" since time began, but Europe is now paying the price for its past imperialism.
Take a look at France. Riots. Why? Because like all other past Euro empires, France is reaping what it spent centuries sowing. You simply can't go around stealing land, supplanting native culture with your own, and then not expect the same thing to eventually happen to you. Many of those so called "immigrants" aren't even immigrants, but born and bred Frenchmen (usually of North African descent) whose blood is seen as not being French enough.
EU countries face daily struggles with immigrants who simply refuse to adopt European values (whatever those are). Can you blame them when Europe doesn't exactly have a great track record for adopting the cultures of the lands they "civilized"?
The quad-bikes, Mercedes and CCTV equipped vans fairly shout "Foreigners stay out!"
Perhaps if Euros were to learn that there is great beauty and culture to be had outside of Europe, then this paranoia and irrational fear of outsiders might vanish?
You also might take a look at Canada, the US and Australia. Places where illegals peacefully protest (not violently riot) and immigrant isn't a dirty word.
to John [post 4]
I totally agree with your comment. Anytime the Schengen area is extended, I feel that something great is happening, fulfilling the expectation of the founders of the European Union.
Of course, the EU has also many flaws, but it should remembered what was Europe only 60 years ago. The Schengen treaty is probably the most successful achievement of EU and one that certainly makes me proud to be European.
It may be very unfashionable to speak of the virtues of borders in this age, but for the small inconvenience of having to show your identity and nationality, a border control allows countries to monitor more easily criminals and those who pose a threat to society. Genuine travellers have nothing to fear from a border control.
A national border control is not infallible, but Schengen allows criminals to remain largely undetected by travelling to another Schengen country completely freely, and it also encourages illegal migration.
James
Bravo Europe!
Although I will miss a bit the hostile questioning and being searched in the wee hours of the night! Now I will have to head for more exotic lands if my collection of stamps and visas is to reach the hundreds! :)
Sir! I would like to point your attention to another positive development this week which is thanks to the EU policies! The Bulgarian Government finally approved the territories with protected habitat for "Natura 2000" and they sum up as 33.8% of the country! (yes, that is 1/3 of the territory! only Slovenia has protected more). In the last decade 'unrestricted capitalism' with the complicity of all levels of government and mafia money, has seen many beautiful landscapes disappear under concrete. We are hoping that EU now has put a hold to that.
It is also a case where green NGOs took an active role and maybe set the first steps of 'citizen-involved society', the tenet of democracy that we seem unable to attain so far. The more 'preservation of national heritage'-conscious urbanites were pitted against the poorer locals of mountains and sea coast who are recently bedazzled by a tourism gold fever, dreaming of building a hotel each. The Bulgarian part of the Black Sea already looks worse than the Mallorcan coast.
Still the Government left out several large areas that were in the initial scientists evaluation, citing reasons quite odd for an ecological program - "because of large investor interest". These are mountain slopes which will be turned into gigantic construction sites for ski resort expansions with the telling names "Super Borovetz", "Super Panitchishte", etc. So we've got the conflicting hope that EU will bring our own country to the European Court over this.
If you are ever coming to the South, this might a be a good topic for a feature - it is a sad process repeated in many poorer countries when they get sudden opportunities (e.g. interest from UK tourists and home-buyers) for quick caching in on their resources.
Yours,
Kolio, UK / Bulgaria
It must seem bizarre to ordinary Ukrainians who once passed these boundaries relatively unhindered to wake up and find now that they are the most policed in the whole of Europe. Seems so tragic to me.
The picture of the watch tower reminds me of the watch towers now decaying along the former Iron Curtain. Is this just a reinvention of the East/West border? One without the sympathy and the cries from both sides to tear down. Khrushchev has been done proud.
Disgusting how distant we grew from each other since we all left Ethiopia few hundred thousands years ago.
To Kathleen:
As you say, countries like Canada, USA, and Australia don't have a negative meaning for 'immigrant'. Well, you seem to ignore the fact that the core of the countries' population has a non-native origin. Native people (were they racists?) did protest against immigrants in America as well as in Australia, but their protests were suppressed by immigrants. Conflicts always arise when human populations occupy new territories; we need secure borders to control the immigration and to avoid the conflicts.
I crossed this border last summer on a bike - out of curiosity. All I saw that was new was a trip wire. I went exploring along the "iron curtain" for quite while before a soldier in a watch tower saw me.
I pedalled away back into Slovakia before he got near me. Maybe the ozzy should have got bike.
I think this is a great idea, one of the good point's of Europe. It's a shame though that I can't imagine the day when any British Government will sign us up to it.
"Where did the material come from - could it indeed have been smuggled across they very border we were looking at?"
Yes it could. Where did it come from?
Most likely, as in previous attempts of this kind, from Russian Federation, with such istallations as Dubna Institute and Avangard military nuke plant in a closed city of Sarov (notorious in Soviet times as Arzamas-16) being likely sources, just as in Litvinenko case.
To Kathleen,
"You also might take a look at Canada, the US and Australia. Places where illegals peacefully protest (not violently riot) and immigrant isn't a dirty word"
I'm sorry, but as an American I can tell you, immigrants are looked down on here. Its embarrassing to even have to say that, but it is a truth. I don't understand why it is this way, but it seems to be a global problem, not a regional problem.
We already had a virtually impermeable border with all the Eastern countries. It was called the Iron curtain. If we had only left that in place, we would need to spend so much money on putting it up further east!
It's interesting to speculate why Britain has refused to join the Schengen countries?
Great article about the New Iron Curtain. Alongside the articles attacking Russia, Mardell couldn't have done a better job of making his message crystal clear.
I agree with Julina - 20+ minutes get through 'immigration' at Gatwick from Amsterdam only two desks open with plenty of flights arriving, about 200 in the queue. My US colleague zipped through the non EU desks in 5 minutes with 5 people queing and 3 or 4 desks opened. So now we really know we are the second class citizens of Europe.
I beleive it is costing over Β£2billion for the UK to have its own seperate system - if we were part of Schengen this cost would be shared and proably much more effective, whilst not causing such inconvenience for travellers in an out of England.
Kathleen, you would be wise to remember that NOT all European nations had colonies. And some of us actually didn't even have slaves! So stop your whining about the "evil" Europeans stealing other people's land. And, no, immigrants have no right to come to Europe because of some historical injustice committed by some European countries. In fact that kind of thing, stealing land, has happened all over the world by ever race! Indian kingdoms fought each other, African kingdoms clashed constantly and so did European one's! You're the one with the racist attitude towards Europeans. Leave us alone to build a better society. You can immigrate to Canada if you like.
The problem is not migration, the problem is the free movement of criminals. Borders are designed to collect taxation and / or monitor the movement of people (if the State is security obsessed). Since the EU is about the free movement of goods / services / people, the borders are porous. In this case, a border force of 900 spread over 65 miles, working in 5 shifts to cover the 24 hr clock works out at approximately 3 officers per mile, which is a token presence.
Of greater importance is a well resourced interior police force with a court system which supports, rather than hinders the police effort. This should be so in order to catch and deal robustly with those people who pass through the border with malicious intent, thereby abusing the system.
Sorry to prolong this "private" disagreement, folks but I need to pass a few comments on Kathleen's response.
The view on recent riots from here in France (plenty but plenty of coverage) is that this was plain hooliganism - those arrested are from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds (and all French- born). "Illegals" (to use Kathleen's terminology) and their supporters can and do demonstrate peacefully, without molestation.
The US is certainly no lover of illegal immigration - and they can be brutal.
It's difficult to view the past through 21st century eyes, and by 21st century mores. We're living now. Schengen-widening strengthens the idea of 'freedom', for those that are in the club. The need now is for real assistance to those outside to gain value on their own account, not to help them break the barriers?
I wonder whether those who grumble about border controls seriously want to abolish them ? Do they really want unrestricted entry into Europe from eg Sudan, Mali, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Yemen, Syria ...
Unrestricted ? Where do they imagine all those billions would live ?
I sure hope that there will be some special regulations on border between Poland and Ukraine. That's a friendly neighbor and both countries would benefit from some kind of solution (easy-to-obtain visas? perhaps something better?).
Yes, the feeling for Ukrainians, Serbians, Macedonians, Moldovans, etc. is not pleasant. Brotherly countries for which until 3-4 years ago they needed no visas now have gone 'behind the wall'.
We have become one with the foreign West and divided from our neighbours and cultural family.
I hope we will be able to reconnect soon within the EU - at least with the Western Balkans.
James: Schengen does not allow criminals to travel largely undetected, at least in theory. As part of Schengen, all signatory nations have to link their police databases, have an ID card, and require all people staying at hotels or similar establishments to produce a passport or ID card. Which, of course, is not infallible, but neither were the old border controls.
"We should welcome these poor people fleeing from persecution and poverty in their homelands. Those who say they are a threat to us are mean of spirit and telling lies. We have nothing to fear." - Unnown Red American Indian, talking about the arrival of white men to North America.
@ john newson (4)
I bet you are one of those Eurocrats who works in Brussels for the EU and thus doesn't pay any income tax.
Well according to you we should welcome the entire world and be willing to pay 70-80% income tax to hand the rest of the world a welfare check.
No I say, abolish Schengen (which is a blessing for criminals and phony asylum seekers).
And as for invading other peoples land in the past, you should ask the Mongols or the muslims about that. Islam invaded and destroyed more civilization than any other ideology did.
I have passed that border from Chop (Ukraine) to Chorna nad Tisou by train and I have seen that changes, I am not sure all these investments are necessary. However, I have seen treatment of travellers by bordergards like to second class people. It was rudiculous. You just try one to use that try and you will definately recognise the "iron curtain" is back!!!!
I think the Schengen agreement is brilliant. I remember the days of the Iron Curtain and the fear people felt when crossing it. I only wish that British people would remember that we are Eurpeans and that, we should celebreate freedom and be apart of it instead of causing endless delays at the border waiting to show passports and intrusive questions from officials about why we are travelling, and to where, isolationism is no longer a practical policy in the contemporary world!! I wish that this country would join the 21st century and the Euro. I look forward to welcoming fellow Europeans Ukraine Serbia into the EU
It must seem bizarre to ordinary Ukrainians who once passed these boundaries relatively unhindered to wake up and find now that they are the most policed in the whole of Europe. Seems so tragic to me.
The picture of the watch tower reminds me of the watch towers now decaying along the former Iron Curtain. Is this just a reinvention of the East/West border? One without the sympathy and the cries from both sides to tear down. Khrushchev has been done proud.
I agree with Bruce. If we had the infrastructure to host all these people then they are welcome..
Kolio, you dont need a visa to visit the greek macedonians who live in greece. Or do you mean the slavs from Vardarska?
Kathleen: 29th of April, 1992 Los Angeles, USA is no different and more bloody then Paris riots two years ago.
If I compare crime over the years (using the statistics of the Bundeskriminalamt and the British Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Office) I can see that crime has fallen during the last decade in Germany. Where are all the criminals abusing the new freedom ? According to the record they must have made it into Britain somehow.
Some interesting points here, especially from our European cousins concerning the Schengen Agreement.
Do you realise that not only is the UK not in Schengen and will never be (it's unacceptable to the British people, even more so than the Euro or the Lisbon Treaty), but we are about to do the exact opposite and make it compulsory that everyone entering or leaving mainland GB by air, sea or tunnel, has recognisable acceptable photo ID - including children. Not only that, but ID will be required to buy rail tickets, internal flights, even interanl ferries. Not only are EU citizens not exempt, but neither are we, UK citizens in our own country.
And that's exactly how we want it.
I suspect the main reason that Britian is not signatory to Schengen is that the UK is currently such a strong draw for those seeking economic betterment/asylum and would therefore receive a disproportionate number of economic migrants/asylum seekers. The reasons are multiple - historical, the English language and a high employment economy.
The flow of undocumented arrivals/asylum seekers arriving at UK Channel ports has decreased dramatically since UK border controls were introduced on the French side.
Mark,
Thank you for your excellent blog !
What about this Australian guy illegally crossing into Ukraine ? I'd be curious to know what his motives are. Did you look into it ?
Josh Newson- you seem to be living in some kind of dream world because if there were no borders in the world then we would have everyone living in our countries which are the best. Immigrants destroy our unique culture and cause divisions and unrest in society. I wish Schengen didn't exist because border controls are vital to preserve atleast some of our countrys worth and respect in the world, instead of trying to be one big happy family with everyone in the family unhappy
To #16 Mora: I'm not ignoring the fact that the core of my country's population is non-native. In fact, it should be fairly obvious from my previous post that I wasn't ignoring it. How many Europeans really think about past colonialism when debates about tightening immigration laws are discussed? And yes, native peoples' protests were suppressed by immigrants (from Europe mind you). Funny that Europeans are refusing to allow the reverse to happen and see their protests suppressed by immigrants (Africans, Asian, etc.)
#20 Erin: So immigrants are looked down upon here, huh? So why is everyone so proud to hyphenate themselves (you're not American, you're IRISH-American) and talk about great-great-great-great Grandpa Murphy emigrating to America from County So-and-so? Get real. It's illegal immigrants who are looked down upon by some Americans.
#24 Andrew Holden: No not all European countries had colonies/slaves, but quite a few did and it's because of those past empires that Europe has caused this planet to have suffered so much. Tell me. When Europeans learn about the past great waves of European immigrants to places like Canada, the US and Australia, are they horrified or proud? Why is it called "settling the New World" when Europeans are the immigrants, but "destroying European cultures/values" when it's non-Europeans who are the immigrants? I'm a racist? Hardly.
#26 Derek Tunnicliffe: The rioters in France are quite often referred to as "immigrants", even if they are born and raised in France. How ridiculous. Reading about the riots in 2005 (from the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ), I was gobsmacked by the term "second/third generation immigrants" to describe the French born and raised rioters. It's well known that a lot of those left to rot in the banlieux are of North African descent. They are told to assimilate into French society and they want to, but they face discrimination when they make any attempt to become part of French society. Perhaps it's plain hooliganism to you and many white French who don't want to face up to the fact that there is a problem that needs addressing NOW?
And get this. GWB wanted to give our illegals driver's licenses and access to healthcare. Talk about brutal to illegals!
And our illegals demonstrate peacefully too, as was seen last year when many took to the streets, draped in American flags, calmly protesting.
#31 Anthony: Fantastic post! Will no doubt ruffle more than a few Euro feathers.
"We should welcome these poor people fleeing from persecution and poverty in their homelands. Those who say they are a threat to us are mean of spirit and telling lies. We have nothing to fear." - Unnown Red American Indian, talking about the arrival of white men to North America.[#31]
So called American Indians probably didn't want to be Red and that's why, anticipating persecution and poverty in USSR (created in their homelands @ 15 000 years later)immigrated themselves to America from Eastern Siberia taking advantage of the lack of US border control on an ice bridge over Bering Strait.
A large portion of them settled eventually south of Rio Grande, but now they immigrate en mass back to El Norte, fleeing poverty it seems.
First off, Schengen. The only people who would suffer if border controls between Britain and Iceland were abolished would be the poor Icelanders who would suddenly have to fear drunken british yobs turning up. (Maybe we'll both get lucky and some would drown en route). Needing a passport to traverse even our economic union is revolting, the idea we should need one to enter other Union states is absurd.
Secondly, retask those resources freed up to where they're needed: improving lives in the developing world so there's less need to leave.
What about this Australian guy illegally crossing into Ukraine ? I'd be curious to know what his motives are. Did you look into it? [#41]
You haven't heard that Labour won elections Down Under and there'll be no referendum allowed on further Chinese immigration to Australia?
Personally I suspect that this particular Aussie has also heard that it's easy to sneak from Ukraine to Russia; that as a result of a free, level-playing field election process democratic/progressive regime of president Putin is about to be replaced by premier Putin's government even friendlier toward immigrants; and that one can easily get a safe, steady job there working for British Council or as a body guard for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ correspondents in Moscow (even safer).
" * At 09:14 AM on 01 Dec 2007,
* Christopher Kennedy wrote:
We already had a virtually impermeable border with all the Eastern countries. It was called the Iron curtain. If we had only left that in place, we would need to spend so much money on putting it up further east! "
Ding!!! We have a winnner: this is the most idiotic, stupidest post ever!
" * 42.
* At 11:37 AM on 05 Dec 2007,
* Milute Barnetta wrote:
Josh Newson- you seem to be living in some kind of dream world because if there were no borders in the world then we would have everyone living in our countries which are the best. Immigrants destroy our unique culture and cause divisions and unrest in society. I wish Schengen didn't exist because border controls are vital to preserve atleast some of our countrys worth and respect in the world, instead of trying to be one big happy family with everyone in the family unhappy "
Hmmm, let me guess... a xenophobic Swiss, disgruntled by the fact he has to compete with people less obnoxious, faster and perhaps even smarter yet willing to work for less money?
By the way the "destroy our unique culture" part was so cheese and ridiculous it actually made me laugh. :)
hello sir/mam please tell me when ukraine join EU countries . thanks