USA donated equipment to Administration for Indirect Taxation and BiH Border Police

Acting deputy chief of mission of the US Embassy in BiH, Mr. Thomas Mesa, today at Sarajevo International Airport handed over a donation of the Program for control of export and security of borders the US Government's Bureau for international security (EXBS) to the Administration for Indirect Taxation (AIT) and BiH Border Police.
The donation worth 553.510 US$, among other things, includes five vehicles to be used by AIT mobile temas for prevention of smuggling, the newest X-Ray machine to be used at the Sarajevo Airport, a system for examination of vehicles, as well as the equipment for detection, interception and seizure of mass destruction weapons.
During the donation award ceremony it was said that the US Government had been continually supporting both AIT and Border Police Service from the very beginning of their establishment in order to improve their development and operativeness through a large number of valuable donations in a form of specialized and advanced training courses, and vehicles and computers at the beginning through EXBS program.
The acting deputy chief of mission, Thomas Mesa, today emphasized that the Program for control of export and security of borders (EXBS) had been active in BiH since 2005 with aim to support capacities of the institutions being responsible for implementation of law in their efforts to improve control of weapons export and security of borders.
Mesa added that Bosnia and Herzegovina had received from EXBS the donation worth around five million US $ in the form of equipment and training courses.
Director of the BiH Border Police, Vinko Dumančić, pointed out that the equipment donated to the Border Police included night vision field-glasses, long-range binoculars, thermal and wireless cameras and other specialized equipment, as well as 55 computers worth more than 57.000 US $.
He addeed that during the last 13 years, in spite of a lack of manpower and adequate equipment, this Police agency had become recognizable and respectable, illustrating such a statement with the information that in nine months of the current year the Agency had registered 1.683 foreigners not allowed to enter BiH and additional 1.886 persons in attempt to cross the State border line.
Director of the BiH Administration of Indirect Taxation, Mr. Miro Džakula, pointed out to that the US as a demonstrated friend toj BiH, that from 2011 donated AIT the equipment worth around one million US $.
"The Administration has achieved significant results since 2011 till now by opening of regional centres in Mostar and Tuzla, a new border crossing Bijača, and reconstruction of the existing border crossing in Gradiška. The gross income annual level has increased to 350 million KM, i.e. to 160 - 180 million KM in net amount, with a lot of challenges in the future“, highlighted Džakula.
Today's ceremony was attended by director of Sarajevo International Airport, Mr. Ivan Veličan, as well as the regional EXBS adviser for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Christopher Milam.