site.btaBulgaria, Greece to Operate Joint Contact Centre at Promachonas-Kulata Border Crossing

“As of today, we have established and will operate a joint contact center at the Promachonas–Kulata border crossing,” said Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis, speaking to journalists following a meeting with Bulgaria’s Minister of the Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev. The meeting took place at the Ministry of the Interior.

“We are connected by many shared responsibilities, close ties, longstanding traditions, and important tasks ahead. This meeting was driven by the need to strengthen security in the region. We are working together to ensure security and a safe environment for our two countries and for the region, because this is what the citizens of Greece and Bulgaria, as well as hundreds of millions of European citizens, expect,” Chrysochoidis said.

“We are here to declare our commitment to working for the security of Bulgaria and Greece, the protection of our borders, and the security of the European area. That is precisely why we signed three Memoranda of Understanding - to reinforce and advance our shared objective of safeguarding security and protecting our borders against any kind of threat,” Minister Chrysochoidis added.

According to Chrysochoidis, the primary objective is to combat illegal migration. “At present, migration flows are almost nonexistent, and it can be said that, thanks to the joint efforts of our two countries, the European community, and third countries, we are currently experiencing the most favorable situation regarding migration flows,” he stated.

He added that the implementation of the new EU Migration Pact has begun, along with a renewed European Union approach to security issues. “It is time for everyone to recognize that the protection of our borders is now the highest priority,” Chrysochoidis said. He noted that Greece and Bulgaria are also working closely with Turkiye toward the shared goal of addressing this challenge.

“In one year, Greece will assume the Presidency of the European Council, and one of its top priorities will be the protection of the Union’s external borders and making every effort in the interest of all European citizens,” Chrysochoidis emphasized.

He also noted that Bulgaria has been a member of the Schengen Area for several months, expressing satisfaction that citizens of both countries can now travel freely. “We also share a common currency - the euro,” he said, describing this as a major achievement for Bulgaria.

“At the same time, we have obligations arising from our participation in the Schengen Agreement, which means taking measures to strengthen border protection and ensure the security of our citizens. That is why, as of today, we have established and will operate a joint contact center at the Promachonas–Kulata border crossing,” the Greek minister added.

According to Chrysochoidis, traffic through the crossing is extremely heavy, making a strong police presence, security measures, and effective border controls essential. “This is one of the most important crossing points in Europe, and one of our priorities is preventing financial crime, including tax evasion and money laundering,” he said. “Our priority is to investigate and dismantle these criminal networks. We are determined to deal a decisive blow to these organized crime groups,” he emphasized.

The minister identified the fight against corruption as a second major priority. “Corruption is a disease that undermines democracy,” he said. He explained that Greece has decided to elevate its institutional response, noting that the Hellenic Police has an Internal Affairs Division tasked with eliminating corrupt practices and combating both corruption and organized crime.

“Drug trafficking and arms trafficking are among our highest priorities. I must stress that once the war in Ukraine and other conflicts around the world come to an end, a large number of weapons will enter circulation. We must be prepared to address this challenge by working persistently and effectively to infiltrate organized criminal networks. We want to send a clear message to criminal groups that the state is present, that our law enforcement agencies are dynamic and effective, and that they will work together for the benefit of the people of Bulgaria and Greece,” Minister Chrysochoidis said.