DUSHANBE, January 12, Asia-Plus - The European Commission (EC) intends to project a new program to assist Tajikistan’s in strengthening border protection, Barbara Plinkert, head of the EC Regional Delegation to Tajikistan, remarked at a meeting with journalists in Dushanbe on January 11.  

The European Union is providing assistance to Tajikistan in strengthening its border protection within the framework of the Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA), which is being implemented through the European Commission.  According to Plinkert, the program is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2007.  In 2005-2006, 3.5 million euros were provided to Tajikistan for implementing the project.  

In all, 25 million euros were provided for implementation of this program in Central Asia.  Another 12million-14 million euros are planned to be provided for the next coming years.  

According to head of the EC Regional Delegation to Tajikistan, the European Commission plans to provide assistance to Afghanistan in strengthening of the protection of the Afghan-Tajik border as part of the BOMAF program.