OFFER OF TV PICTURES

September 8, 2006.

    Moldova/Ukraine: EU beefs up its EUBAM mission
    More than 100 EU border management experts are now helping their Moldovan and Ukrainian counterparts eradicate smuggling along the border with Transnistria, a 500 kilometres strip of Moldovan territory running along the Ukrainian border, which is a self-proclaimed republic not recognized by the international community.
    When Romania joins the EU, this territory, seen as a haven for traffickers, will be right on the EU’s doorstep. This is why the EU is so keen on normalizing the situation here, first by drying up the sources of illegal revenues for Transnistria, arising from border smuggling. This is precisely the mission of EUBAM – the EU Border Assistance Mission to Ukraine and Moldova. They are here to help Ukrainians and Moldavians upgrade their border management, according to EU standards. Since beginning of July 06, the mission is extended with more staff and more field offices.
    TV Pictures available free of charge and copyright-free
     To illustrate the EUBAM mission at work, Mostra has produced a video news release (VNR) for the European Commission's Directorate-General for External Relations.
    The VNR shows pictures of the EUBAM mission at work along the Transnistrian border: with various border checks, vehicle checks and train checks. The film also follows their work in the port of Odessa, the major point of entry for goods on their way to Transnistria. Finally, it proposes aerial shots of border crossing points.
    The video report includes interviews with:
    ° Adriaan Jacobovits de Szeged, Special Representative of the European Union to Moldova
    ° Ian Boag, Head of European Commission Delegation to Ukraine
    ° Ferenc Banfi, Head of EUBAM mission
    ° Tudor Diordiev, Head of Customs post in Palanca (Moldova)
    ° Kurt Schwendemann, EUBAM expert
    ° Joakim Haack, EUBAM expert
    Technical data:
    Running time: +-10'
    Filmed in: Moldova, Ukraine and Belgium, June 2006
    Format: English + international version / Beta SP-DVCam
    Contact to obtain these pictures:
    Sergio Salvador
    Mostra Communication
    Tel: + 32 2 537 44 00
    Email: ssa@mostra.com