In order to proceed with the inspection of the Border Guard Region of Peipsi, the President with the accompanying him persons at Mehikoorma embarked speedboats for the island of Piirissaar, where they visited a radar surveillance post and talked to the local border guards and the leaders of this rural municipality.
Summarizing his impressions of the Border Guard Region of Peipsi, the President of the Republic noted that the border guards in spite of the scarcity of funds and modest living conditions - were performing their service with determination. The Chief of the Region, Major Pokkinen, brought up the need to modernize the vessels at the disposal of the Border Guard on the lake Peipsi. To better fufil its rescuing functions, the Border Guard ought to have a second hovercraft in addition to its speedboats.
The needs of the Border Guard were summed up by Harry Hein, Director General of the Board of Border Guard: "In order to function in the future as the outer border of the European Union, the personnel of the Border Guard has to to be increased and its training improved, and also the surveillance equipment needs to be modernized and the living conditions of employees to be improved." According to Harry Hein, for three years already the Border Guard had not got any funds for investments.
Thereafter, President Arnold Rüütel left for Värska, to continue that same day inspecting the future external border of the European Union in the Kagu (South-Eastern) Border Guard Region.
Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, May 7, 2002
