Skopje, 14 October 2024 (MIA) - From July 1 to Oct. 8, the Customs Administration collected Mden 35.4 billion (EUR 576.4 million) in revenue, which is Mden 3 billion (EUR 48.7 million) or 9,2 percent more than the same period last year. The number of seizures increased by 60,2 percent and the number of reported crimes increased threefold, Customs Administration director Boban Nikolovski said Monday at a press conference on his first 100 days in office.

He said cooperation with the business community, inter-institutional and international cooperation was advanced, with the aim of improving business conditions and increasing the competitiveness of the Macedonian economy.

He stressed that the share of the total revenues collected by the Customs Administration in the total revenues of the State Budget was 41 percent, and by excluding the tax revenue, the Customs Administration share amounted to 73 percent.

The director also welcomed customs officers' work results, noting that the number of proceedings for unclaimed goods, compared to last year, had increased by 80 percent.

He also pointed out that recorded goods suspected of infringing intellectual property rights increased by 72 percent compared to the same period last year, and that a total of 1,213 mandated fines were issued, or 186 more than last year.

Nikolovski noted that the main demands of the business community were: further simplifying procedures including the procedure for obtaining approvals, further digitization, trainings for customs innovations, appropriate priority lines at border crossings, and improving the integrity and professionalism of customs officers through education.

"Our future plans include adopting an integrity strategy with concrete measures for improving awareness and perception of customs officers, responsibility, professionalism, and accountability; improving training systems on all levels, intensifying activities on ongoing projects and their timely conclusion, successful start and implementation of new planned projects- complete digitization of processes and infrastructure capacity upgrade; complete alignment with EU legislation, primarily the Customs Law and the Implementation Regulation as well as alignment with all other legislation and acts adopted by the Customs Administration, and building stable international cooperation," Nikolovski explained.

Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska Kochoska said the revenue of imported duties in July marked a growth of 23,7 percent, 8,9 percent in August, while excise duties increased by 16,6 percent in July, 11,9 in August, and 25,9 in September.

“This clearly shows that the Customs Administration does not cut back, works in alignment with the law, and when we want to, we can. That means no more illegal or low-value imports. The Customs Administration is the first to check the import of goods into the country and it is all up to you. Respecting laws and saying stop to corruption and crime are a priority," Dimitrieska Kochoska stressed.

Deputy director at the Sector for Control and Investigations Vlatko Lakordov presented the operational results in the fight against crime. He highlighted the new video surveillance integration system and automatic license-plate recognition system.

Deputy director for International Cooperation and EU integration Slagjana Damjanoska presented projects aimed at improving and modernizing infrastructure capacities, and the head of the ICT department Aleksandar Prodanov presented projects for further digitization of customs procedures. ssh/mr