On September 10th, 2024, work teams from the Ministry of Internal Affairs from Romania, respectively from the Ministry of Internal Affairs from the Republic of Bulgaria had a meeting in videoconference format, under the coordination of Mr. Bogdan DESPESCU, State Secretary for Order and Public Security, and of Mr. Miroslav RASHKOV, Secretary General Plenipotentiary of the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior and Director of the General Directorate of the National Police. The two teams were formed by representatives of the Police, Border Police, Immigration and Anticorruption structures from the two countries.
The meeting is part of the series of periodic meetings of the two parties with the aim of intensifying bilateral police cooperation, with an emphasis on combating illegal migration, based on the Romanian-Bulgarian Joint Action Plan, signed for this purpose in June 2024. During the discussions, a step-by-step evaluation of the implementation of the actions provided for in the Plan, whose main purpose is to secure the borders, by combating illegal migration and cross-border crime, has been carried out. The two officials agreed on the need to continue joint measures, in a coordinated manner, with a view to eliminating internal land border controls.
The actions carried out highlighted the very good cooperation between the structures of the Border Police in the two countries, through efficient and rapid exchange of information and by intensifying joint patrolling missions at the land borders, on the Danube and at the maritime border, which contribute to the security of the Schengen area and of the South-Eastern European region.
The fight against organized crime remains a priority, meaning that the two sides agreed to continue at the same sustained pace the operations carried out jointly on the territory of the two countries, to fight migrant and drug trafficking.
Also, the measures taken to manage cross-border road traffic have proven their effectiveness during this year’s summer season, with additional actions taking place depending on the situation on the ground. It was agreed to keep the approach flexible and take immediate action when necessary.
At the end of the discussions, the delegations agreed to continue with the same frequency the joint activities in all areas of mutual interest.
