UNMIK/PR/1664 - Correction
PRISTINA – UNMIK Customs Service will now be fully managed by local Customs Officials. At a celebration today at the main headquarters of the Service, PDSRSG Steven Schook congratulated the newly appointed Director General, Naim Huruglica, who took office on 1 April. Part of the ceremony was the inauguration of the new Customs Operational Centre. Prime Minister Agim Ceku attended the event, as well as Acting DSRSG Paul Acda, Minister for Economy and Finance, Haki Shatri and representatives of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government.
PDSRSG Steven Schook praised the work of UNMIK Customs saying: “The 567 members of the Customs Service have a right to be very proud today. Naim Huruglica has taken over a Service that is already 95% compliant with EU standards.” Schook also commended A/DSRSG, Paul Acda and the outgoing Director General Peter Walker for creating and enhancing a successful organisation.
Prime Minister Agim Ceku applauded UNMIK Customs for its work and expressed his and the government’s full support for the new Director General. Ceku also praised the new Operational Centre. “This Centre is bad news for smugglers. It will enable the Service to better control the goods coming into Kosovo and by this, support the fight against contraband and organised crime.”
After the outgoing Director General symbolically handed over his epaulettes to his successor Naim Huruglica, the latter said: “I am very honoured by the trust given to me to lead this Service. UNMIK Customs is a young service. It was founded seven and a half years ago and managed to develop into a modern Customs Service. The staff is professionally ready to manage all duties and challenges to come.”
After the ceremony, the guests visited the Customs Operational Centre. Through modern IT and video equipment, Customs officers will monitor and check all border crossing points of Kosovo including three customs terminals, where a total of 84 video cameras are installed. The centre, which is the most modern in the region, will not only support the fight against smuggling, but also ensure transparency and professionalism of the Customs Service personnel.
