Family gathering securing cross border relations

The good cooperation between the Norwegian Border Commissioner Colonel Ivar Sakserud and the Russian Border Commissioner Colonel Vladimir Bobrov, is highlighted by both Sakserud and Bobrov on all joint meetings. However, what maybe display these good relations best is the annual social gathering between, not only the Border Commissioners, but also their entire staff and the staff’s partners and children. During this years event, a meeting with Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Rune Rafaelsen, was part of the program. One weekend every year the Russian Border Commissioners office come to Kirkenes with their families and spend the day together with their Norwegian colleagues. The following day the Norwegian Border Commissioners office and family do the same trip to Nikel and spend the day there. These days are free from uniforms and military protocol. The object is to get to know the neighboring border commissioner’s office in a different context, thus making it easier to cooperate better when it comes to the formal meetings and the joint task on preserving stability on the Norwegian-Russian border. This year the annual social gathering was the same weekend as the traditional football match between the Norwegian and Russian border guards. The group started their day at the football match, and continued with a meeting at the Norwegian Barents Secretariats office with Secretary General Rune Rafaelsen, and ended the first day with a social dinner next to the borderline. - These social days are very important for our offices because it shows very evidently the good relations and the good dialogue between the Norwegian and Russian Border Commissioners, says Sakserud.