site.btaUPDATED Turkish Interior Minister Visits Sofia, Holds Press Conference with Bulgarian Counterpart

Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci paid a working visit to Bulgaria on Tuesday. After meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, Ivan Demerdzhiev, the two held a joint press conference.

Demerdzhiev reported that Turkiye will assist Bulgaria in identifying assets acquired through corrupt activities, as significant amounts of capital are transferred to Turkiye and other countries as a result of corrupt activities in Bulgaria.

Cross-border crime was one of the main topics that the two ministers discussed. Ciftci said: "We believe that through cooperation with the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, we will achieve tangible success in combating [new-generation] crimes." The Turkish Interior Minister also thanked Demerdzhiev for the successful extradition of 81 alleged perpetrators of this type of new-generation crime. Negotiations with Bulgaria continue regarding 19 Turkish citizens whose extradition has been requested. Turkiye has handed over 24 Bulgarians whose extradition had been requested.

Ciftci emphasized the importance of fighting drug trafficking. Turkiye attaches enormous importance to the support provided by the Bulgarian Interior Ministry in the fight against drug trafficking.

Demerdzhiev said: "We share the Turkish side's view that crimes committed by young people are a phenomenon that we need to combat, and we agreed to cooperate in this area." He added that no country on its own can ensure the security of a region, which is why he is glad that Bulgaria and Turkiye enjoy good relations that provide a solid foundation for achieving security in the Balkans and the Black Sea region.

Demerdzhiev reported that the fight against illegal migration, drug trafficking, drug distribution, human trafficking and smuggling were among the common priorities that he and Ciftci identified. "I assured my Turkish counterpart that Bulgaria will fight organized crime and terrorism in all its forms without compromise," Demerdzhiev added.

The police academies of Bulgaria and Turkiye signed a memorandum of understanding. The Bulgarian Minister said: "We see this document not only as a basis for better interaction between the two academies, but also as an action that deepens the opportunity for our officers to create purely human relationships of trust during their training, which can later be transferred to good professional interaction."

Following the bilateral meetings and the subsequent joint statement to the media, the Turkish delegation took a brief walk through downtown Sofia, visiting the Office of the Chief Mufti and the Banya Bashi Mosque.

Speaking to BTA, Minister Ciftci highlighted some key points from his bilateral talks, specifically emphasizing the trilateral mechanism adopted some time ago between Bulgaria, Turkiye, and Greece to combat illegal migration. He underscored that the three neighbouring countries plan to focus their efforts on transforming it into more effective cooperation against cross-border crime, new-generation organized crime groups, and drug trafficking.The guest expressed confidence that productive visits such as Tuesday’s would lead to more concrete results in the coming days.