Checks at border crossings intensified in 2015
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board intensified checks on the country's external border in 2015 and issued prohibitions to enter the country on more occasions than in previous years.
"During 2015, documents, individuals and means of transport were directed to go through additional checks on 8,915 occasions, which is 7% more than in 2014," Helen Neider Veerme, chief of the integrated border management office at the Police and Border Guard Board, told the Baltic News Service.
"The reason for the increase was that in connection with the migration crisis in Europe,
border guards paid more attention that the purpose of entry was consistent with the declared purpose of entry. Also, who had invited the person crossing the border as well as accommodation and the means to support oneself were subjected to more in-depth checks," the official said.
The number of prohibitions to enter the country issued on the border during the year was 978, which is an increase by more than a third compared to 2014.
"This increase is directly linked to the intensification of controls. Of the prohibitions to enter the country, 40% were drawn up at the border checkpoint of Narva, and almost 30% at Tallinn airport," the official added.
The main reasons for issuing a prohibition to enter the country were absence of a visa, a residence permit, or relevant documents. Like in 2014, the list of countries included Russia with 347 cases, Moldova with 130 cases, and Ukraine with 108 cases.
The number of cases of illegal border-crossings registered during the year was 18% higher than in 2014. The number of cases registered during 2015 was 188, and the number of people involved in them was 369, of whom 292 were detained.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn