site.bta Bulgarian, Austrian Interior Ministers Discuss Migrant Crisis, Finding Common European Solutions

Bulgarian, Austrian Interior Ministers Discuss Migrant Crisis, Finding Common European Solutions

Sofia, September 3 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova and Austria's Federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka discussed cooperation in countering illegal migrating and human trafficking and finding common solutions. The two conferred during Buchvarova's working visit to Grafenegg, Austria, at her Austrian counterpart invitation, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

At the bilateral meeting, the interior ministers stressed that the shared situation in Europe requires a search of new solutions.

Sobotka backed Bulgaria's position that the dialogue with Turkey must go on. The burden of the care of migrants who have been granted refugee status has to be distributed evenly, Buchvarova stressed for her part.

The two also discussed the challenges to the implementation of relocation mechanisms and the possibility to set up registration centres for asylum seekers near to or inside the countries of origin. This would make it possible to assess objectively on site the eligibility for applying for asylum in Europe. The Director of Austria's Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt), General Franz Lang, who also attended the meeting, lauded the establishment of a specialized centre to counter illegal migration and human trafficking with the Bulgarian Interior Ministry and expressed readiness for partnership.

During her visit to Austria, the Interior Minister took part in a working meeting between Bulgaria, Austria and Berndt Koerner, Deputy Executive Director of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the EU Member States (Frontex). Buchvarova and Koerner discussed the possibility of Frontex sending an extra 100 guest officers to Bulgaria. The opportunities to use Frontex resources for the return of persons to the countries of origin were also clarified during the talks. If flights from other European countries are planned, Sofia may be included as part of the route to the country of origin.

Buchvarova also conferred with Lower Austria Vice Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, a former Austrian interior minister. The two discussed the migration situation and the measures that Bulgaria is taking to stop secondary migrant flows from Bulgaria to countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and the broadening of cooperation with Lower Austria.