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Hans Leitens: The Bulgarian border police must be commended for their efforts to guard the pan-European borders

by AI | 28.Aug 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The executive director of Frontex visited Bulgaria

Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens on a visit to Bulgaria. Photo: Minko Chernev/BTA

SOFIA – The Bulgarian border police deserve to be congratulated for their efforts in guarding the pan-European borders. This was stated in Sofia by the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex Hans Leijtens. He met with the Director of the General Directorate “Border Police” Anton Zlatanov.

Leijtens recalled that the capacity of Frontex staff on the Bulgarian-Turkish border has tripled. This does not mean that there will be no difficulties and challenges to be solved in the future. The most important thing is that we are working together and will continue to do so in the future, noted the Executive Director of Frontex.

Migratory pressure on Bulgaria has decreased by 70%, said Anton Zlatanov. Frontex teams, which are at our border with Turkey and are three times larger than in 2023, will remain at least until the end of this year. Every three months, a decision is made to extend this mission, Zlatanov noted. 

In July, the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior and the Prosecutor’s Office reported that the number of detained migrants and investigations into human trafficking have almost doubled. According to the information, 1004 third-country nationals were detained in July 2024 on the territory of the country, while in June they were 557. In June, the Ministry of the Interior reported a decrease in migratory pressure by 73.6%.

Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area by air and sea on March 31. Hungary, which took over the presidency of the EU Council from July 1, has set the elimination of Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen borders as a priority by the end of the year. Currently, Austria is the only country in the European Union that has not fully supported the elimination of border checks on Bulgarian and Romanian Schengen borders. On September 29, parliamentary elections will be held in the country, after which a new discussion on the Austrian position is expected. (27.08.2024)