site.btaBulgaria and Greece Deepen Cooperation on Border Security and Organized Crime Control

Bulgaria's Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev and Greece's Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis have signed agreements and documents concerning the operation of the Kulata-Promachonas Contact Centre and the organization of joint patrols to operate in the border areas on Bulgarian and Greek territory, as well as a document governing cross-border cooperation in urgent operational pursuits for combating organized crime. The two ministers met in Sofia on Wednesday.

Emerging from the talks, Demerdzhiev told journalists that particular emphasis was placed on Bulgaria's commitment to combating corruption and the country's oligarchic system. 

"We stressed that some of the people involved in this type of criminal activity have acquired substantial assets and operate with significant financial resources in Greece," he said. Bulgaria has asked the Greek authorities to assist in identifying those assets and funds and verifying their origin, the host said, adding that the Bulgarian side received assurances of full cooperation.

"Greece is Bulgaria's strategic partner primarily in two areas: border security and the fight against illegal migration and cross-border organized crime, including drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling," Demerdzhiev noted.

He added: "We identified a number of steps through which our relations can develop and deepen, and we agreed to implement them very quickly. I can say that we reached agreement on maintaining strong cooperation between our two countries at both the political and professional levels."

The meeting also covered Greece's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union and its priorities during the presidency. According to Demerdzhiev, he and his Greek counterpart agreed that the closest possible cooperation between Greece and Bulgaria is a fundamental prerequisite for security in both countries, for security across the region and within the wider European area.