In Ukraine they shrug their shoulders: we do not have time to prepare for the influx of thieves and swindlers at Eurovision 2017

A little more than a month remains before the opening of Eurovision 2017, in which representatives of 43 countries will take part, and the police have not yet drawn up a plan for security measures and protection of foreign tourists.

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This is stated in the publication of the Kyiv edition of Vesti.

The publication warns: a stream of thieves and swindlers from all over the country will pour into the Ukrainian capital, and, given the threat of terrorist attacks, it is almost impossible to ensure law and order in such a short time.

“The grand opening of the Eurovision will take place on May 7th. It is expected that participants and spectators will begin to arrive in Kyiv a week before the start of the competition. However, the Kyiv police do not yet have an agreed plan of action to ensure order. “The competition organizers have not yet provided us with information about the locations, stage layouts, entrances and exits of the premises. Therefore, it is still difficult to decide on the placement and number of police officers at the event itself and for work around the city,” the publication quotes a source in the Kyiv police.

According to the experts interviewed by the publication, it is extremely problematic to professionally prepare security in the capital in a month.

“It's a big piece of work. In addition to ensuring public order at the competition locations, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures to identify criminals who want to “coward” foreigners. District police officers must control the places where tourists are accommodated - hotels, hostels, rented apartments. Already now we need to start checking the places of residence of tourists for the presence of drug dens and homeless people. True, it is not clear where these elements should be taken, since two Kyiv special detention centers are closed,” the publication quotes former criminal investigation officer, lawyer Vladimir Kornienko.

Kornienko is sure that most of all scammers and pickpockets will come to Kyiv.

“Swindlers and pluckers will not miss the gold mine in the form of foreign tourists. And if it is more difficult for attackers to work at airports due to the serious security service, then at a railway station it is a paradise for crime,” he explains.

“We don’t have specific instructions yet, but we have already reported that the patrols will be strengthened by reserve battalions and criminal investigation departments. The order has been given to catch all homeless people, gypsy beggars, scammers and pickpockets. All police officers will work on their days off; no one will be allowed to go on vacation. They said: “Whoever plans to do so will go after May 20,” a policeman patrolling the South Station told the publication.

At the same time, the president of the non-governmental organization “International Anti-Terrorist Unity”, which is responsible for the security of the competition this year, Alexander Dicek, two weeks ago presented a program of security measures for Eurovision 2017 to European experts, but they did not say what exactly was in it. Dicek only assured that he “realizes the depth of the sources of threats.” But, as the head of the Kyiv City State Administration Vladimir Bondarenko said, the promised CCTV cameras will be installed on time.

"Everything goes according to plan. Some cameras are already working in the center of Kyiv; we are now installing them at Eurovision locations and connecting them to the servers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine. These cameras will have the ability to identify people who are wanted,” he says.

Let us remind you that PJSC “National Public Television and Radio Company of Ukraine” (NOTU) expects that 2017 thousand foreign journalists will come to the international pop song competition “Eurovision 1,5”. A quarter of the tickets for Eurovision 2017 have already been sold.