European Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine congratulates the women with the occasion of their special day and has the pleasure to invite to read the stories of two ladies representing its partner services from Moldova and Ukraine.

Raisa Novițchi, Head of Public Relations section within Moldovan Border Police General Inspectorate

Raisa Novițchi works at the Border Police since 2010, where she began he career as a senior specialist, and today she is the Head of the Public Relations section.

Throughout her career, Raisa Novițchi says she managed to implement several information campaigns, and today she sees the institution as more visible than in the past.  Some projects have been carried out with the support of the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM).

“Today we are much more transparent, more responsive.  The Border Police became even more visible in public space”, says Raisa Novițchi.

“In 2016, with the support of EUBAM, we also launched the online platform frontiera.gov.md, where travellers can get useful information about state border traffic”, added Raisa.

Besides the traditional activities required by the profession, Raisa Novițchi tries to also bring some colour to the institution.  Last year, for Easter, they surprised travellers with a “speaking” dog carrying a set of speakers on his back and, with the help of the Border Police Cynologist, congratulated people.

For the beginning of spring, the Border Police also has a tradition. “Every year, on the first of March, we meet with our colleagues from Romania and we exchange martsishor (mărțișor).  It is a beautiful act”, says Raisa Novițchi and tells us that the Moldovan press already knows that year after year the Border Police organizes something special for the holidays.  During the winter holidays they went to the Ukrainian border as well, where the team from Moldova sang carols for their colleagues from Ukraine.

Next, Raisa Novițchi says that she sees herself still in the communication field within the Border Police, however she also thinks about trying to work directly at the state border, either at customs control or in patrol. “It would be interesting for me to interact with the travellers.  I would like to see how I would react in various cases”, says Raisa Novițchi.  “I like what I do, especially the uniform”, jokes the Border communicator.

Major Tatiana Bilous, Chief Officer of the Information and Analytical Department of the Belgorod-Dnistrovskiy Border Detachment Headquarters

Tatiana has served in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine since 2004.  It was easy for her to select her future profession. Tatiana grew up in Khmelnytskyi city, where the Academy of the Border Guard Service is located and where her father used to teach.  The Academy is the most prestigious high educational establishment in the city. The graduates receive not only a rank but a secured job, decent salary and social package. After graduation from the Academy Tatiana had worked in Kherson for three years. In 2013 she was transferred to Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky where she has held various managerial positions. Currently Tatiana is the Chief Officer of Information and Analytical Department of the Belgorod-Dnistrovskiy Border Detachment Headquarters.

Working in the field of risk analyses, Tatiana takes part in coordination meetings with the experts of European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), where issues of border crossing and illegal migration are discussed.

Tatiana likes to wear uniform. She also likes that the work in the Border Guard Service of Ukraine gives the women the opportunities for career prospect and professional development which is quite rare in Ukraine. “In many organizations career perspectives for women are very limited, but not in the Border Guard Service.   Here the women have opportunities for promotion. My supervisor is a woman and my subordinate is a woman as well”, said Tatiana.

Tatiana believes that to be a border guard is more difficult for women than for men. With regard to military training and physical fit the requirements for both men and women are the same, but when working with the documents the expectations are higher for women, as there is a common believe that they are more accurate and scrupulous.

Tatiana plans to work in the Border Guard Service for many years, successfully building her career.

Nota bene: The article was partially drafted with the support of the regional communication project “EU NEIGHBOURS east”.