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VIENNA – Bulgaria takes over the presidency of the Salzburg Forum for six months from today, July 1, announced the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“In formulating the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency, we were guided by the principle of continuity in the topics we will work on. Given the period of transition to the new institutional cycle of the European Union, it is important that the views of our countries find a place among the pan-European priorities,” said the acting Minister of Internal Affairs Kalin Stoyanov in Vienna.
As part of his participation last week in the ministerial conference of the Salzburg Forum countries, Stoyanov presented Bulgaria’s priority topics, highlighting the fight against migrant smuggling, which requires a comprehensive response at European, regional, and national levels, as well as timely and effective application of various tools for cross-border police cooperation and information exchange.
The acting Interior Minister expressed gratitude to the Austrian Minister of Internal Affairs Gerhard Karner and the Austrian Presidency for their active work over the past six months and confirmed that Bulgaria will continue active communication with the new European Commission in the context of the new strategic agenda of the European Union.
During the discussions at the ministerial conference, friends of the Salzburg Forum from the Western Balkans also joined. The focus was on finding common solutions and strategies to deal with migration and the fight against migrant smuggling. In Bulgaria, the fight against migrant smuggling is a priority. We have strengthened our capacity, increased information exchange, and are actively cooperating both at the EU level and with key third countries, reported Kalin Stoyanov on the country’s targeted actions. According to him, in the common efforts to limit illegal migration and create legal opportunities for access to the EU, a wide range of participants should be included, including countries of origin and transit. Strengthening return is another key area of cooperation.
The acting Interior Minister also noted that partners from the Western Balkans are part of the pan-European solution and, in this sense, Bulgaria will continue to work to improve the effectiveness of cooperation in the region.
Migratory pressure at Bulgaria’s borders has decreased by over 70% in the first five months of the year compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Interior’s monthly report on the migration situation in the country. Almost 85% more are the cases of detained migrants attempting to leave Bulgaria illegally. In May, 223 migrants were detained for illegal residence in the interior of the country.
In his statement on cooperation in combating illegal migration, Austria’s Minister of Internal Affairs Gerhard Karner gave high marks to cooperation with Bulgaria. He noted Bulgaria’s contribution to guarding the EU’s external borders and limiting migration movements to Austria. (June 26)