Minister of Interior Emil Dechev held a working meeting with the Governor of Edirne, Yunus Sezer. The main focus of the conversation was cooperation in the protection of the common border, the fight against illegal migration, and cross-border crime.
Strengthening Border Security and Combating Migration
During the meeting, the results achieved in dealing with the migration pressure were highlighted. Minister Dechev stated that the Bulgarian side is impressed by the actions of the Turkish state, pointing out that data from the Border Police indicate a permanent decrease in pressure in recent years.
The Bulgarian side is extremely impressed by the actions of the Turkish state in dealing with migration pressure and highly appreciates the efforts made.
The delegation also included Deputy Minister Kaloyan Kaloyanchev, the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Georgi Kandev, and the Director of the General Directorate "Border Police" Anton Zlatanov.
Improving Passage Through Border Checkpoints
An important focus was also the optimization of the processes at the border checkpoints (BCP), especially in the conditions of the active summer tourist season. Yunus Sezer thanked the Bulgarian authorities for their efforts to speed up passage across the border.
- BCP "Kapitan Andreevo": Additional efforts are being made to reduce queues.
- Entry/Exit System: Since April 10th, the European system has been introduced, which aims for faster checks.
- Capacity Expansion: The priority is to increase the capacity of existing checkpoints, not to create new ones.
Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov shared Bulgaria's experience from the World Border Security Congress in Vienna, where the operational situation on the Bulgarian-Turkish border was presented.
Diplomatic Relations and Mutual Support
In addition to security, humanitarian aid from Bulgaria after the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023 was also mentioned, for which the Governor expressed deep gratitude.