As a guarantor of European Union security, the protection of external borders proved to be a key topic during a meeting held today at the Ministry of Interior. Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev briefed his guests — the Ambassadors of the Republic of Finland, Kirsti Pohjankukka, and the Kingdom of Denmark, Flemming Stender, as well as the Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Robin Peters — on the actions taken by the Ministry. Thanks to these efforts, a significant decrease in migratory pressure has been achieved along the country's borders, which also serve as external borders for the Union. In the context of these successes, the Minister justified the need for introducing minimum common standards for border guard operations that could be applied across all member states.

The working visit was marked by a consensus that sharing information, best practices, and accumulated experience is a fundamental prerequisite for addressing current security threats. In this regard, those present discussed deepening practical cooperation through coordination between EU law enforcement agencies, as well as organizing joint operations and training.

Along with migration policy and issues concerning the return of individuals, the discussions touched upon a wide range of challenges currently on the EU agenda:

  • protection of critical infrastructure;
  • increasing societal resilience and preparedness for crisis situations;
  • effective countermeasures against cybercrime.

Border security and the protection of critical infrastructure are of direct importance to residents of a coastal region like Burgas.

The technological aspect of security also had its place in the discussions. The parties addressed the challenges associated with unauthorized drones entering the territories of EU member states, emphasizing the critical importance of early warning systems and the need for exchanging expertise in implementing new technological solutions within the sector.