site.btaInterior Minister Holds Bilateral Meetings on Sidelines of Justice and Home Affairs Council

Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, his Ministry's press office reported. 

Meeting with European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, the Bulgarian Interior Minister expressed his satisfaction at the opportunity to meet in person at the very beginning of his term as minister. The two sides committed to sharing all issues of mutual interest in an open and frank dialogue. “Your areas of responsibility are of utmost importance to Bulgaria, so I look forward to a successful partnership,” the Minister said.

Demerdzhiev and Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Athanasios Plevris discussed common priorities such as border security, an effective return policy, and even more decisive action in the fight against migrant smuggling. Their shared view was that cooperation is excellent and practical in nature. High praise was given to the trilateral cooperation format between Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkiye. The three ministerial meetings held so far have contributed to enhancing border security and combating cross-border crime. Both countries expressed their expectation that this format will continue to function just as effectively. Opportunities for more effective joint action to find pan-European solutions in migration management were also discussed. An agreement was reached on the mutual exchange of views and best practices during the first months of the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Demerdzhiev told German Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt that active political dialogue is essential for successfully addressing common European challenges. The two expressed their willingness to discuss opportunities for deepening cooperation, including on issues of internal security, migration management, the fight against cross-border crime, and other topics of mutual interest. An agreement was reached to organize a bilateral meeting later this year.

Meeting with European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) Executive Director Hans Leijtens, the Bulgarian Interior Minister praised the Agency's support for the protection of the EU's external borders and the enhancement of the efficiency of sustainable returns. The trend toward a sustained reduction in migratory pressure is the result of both the efforts of the Bulgarian authorities and good cooperation with partners. Bulgaria also participates with personnel and technical equipment in Frontex missions, as well as in various pilot projects, sharing expert experience and best practices. Leijtens confirmed Frontex’s high regard for Bulgaria’s active work along one of the EU’s most important external borders and added that the results are having a positive effect, which is reflected in the overall decline in migration pressure at the EU level.

Demerdzhiev and Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, French Minister Delegate for Citizenship, discussed their positions on the amendments to the Regulation on the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Both sides noted that they share a number of common views on this issue. “We rely on the opportunities that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism provides for mutual support in the event of disasters, especially in the context of increasingly frequent forest fires and floods. We expect it to continue serving us, and therefore it is important to preserve its added value in its future revision,” Minister Demerdzhiev noted.