site.btaCustoms Agency Director Denies CC-DB Claims that Suspended Public Procurement Will Delay Bulgaria's Admission to Schengen by Land

Customs Agency Director Georgi Dimov told media on Friday that the interests of the country and the EU are not threatened and that  Bulgaria and the Customs Agency will not lose financial income in connection with a public procurement for high-tech customs equipment, special scanners and x-rays, for better control at country’s border checkpoints. Dimov's comment was in connection to statements by Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) MEPs Martin Dimitrov and Radan Kanev regarding the project, made earlier in the day.

Kanev and Dimitrov said that Bulgaria's admission by land into Schengen can be delayed because of the suspended public procurement. The deputies noted that Bulgaria can lose the grant funding from the EC for the customs equipment. 

Dimov pointed out that the actions of the Customs Agency were supported on a legal basis, using similar European practices.

"The subject of today's conversation concerns x-ray equipment, which in its essence is a delivery under a European instrument for border and customs control, contributing to the protection of health, financial interests and care at the border control checkpoints of Bulgaria as an external border. The contract that was concluded with the contractor chosen by the Customs Agency is carried out regularly. The funds  were obtained on the basis of a plan prepared by the Customs Agency," explained the Director of the Agency.

Dimov assured that the European Commission is aware of every stage of the implementation of this procedure.

He adamantly denied the possibility that the procedure would become an obstacle for Bulgaria's full accession to Schengen.

He pointed to the fact that the information collected through the border control system is a secret not only for Bulgaria, but also for the entire EU.

Dimov added that  the implementation of the specific instrument and the commitments of the Customs Agency and the country envisaged a deadline of June 25, and accounting for the possibility that that it could not be fulfilled by that time and the funding provided under the grant agreement could be lost, the contractor was selected through direct negotiation.