site.btaUkraine's Finance Ministry, State Customs Service Representatives Pay Working Visit to Sofia

Representatives of Ukraine's Ministry of Finance and the State Customs Service are on a working visit to Sofia, the Bulgarian Customs Agency said Tuesday. The visit is part of the EU-funded project Public Financial Management Support Programme (EU4PFM) for Ukraine. The focus of the visit is the role of customs in the fight against counterfeit goods, and the development of customs information systems.

"Ukraine has been a candidate country for EU membership for more than a year, and we are well aware of the challenges your administration faces in the context of war on the country's territory and appreciate the significant efforts made to deepen Ukraine's economic integration with the EU," Deputy Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski said in his address to the representatives of Ukraine.

"As a candidate country, it is important for Ukraine to be able to compare its legislation and build the technological base for full membership, which makes cooperation with the Bulgarian customs particularly valuable," Oleksandr Gryban, Deputy Minister of Finance of Ukraine, said in his turn. He also pointed out that despite the difficult situation the country is facing, the State Customs Service of Ukraine is working on a three-year strategy for technological alignment with the EU. He also stressed the important role of information systems in countering customs fraud and violations and in ensuring state revenues. 

Within the framework of the visit, the delegation from Ukraine will get acquainted with presentations of successful practices and procedures implemented by the Customs Agency, and with the work of the Sofia Airport Customs Bureau.

The EU4PFM project is funded by the EU and aims to support the reform of Ukraine's public finance systems.