site.btaFrontex Deploys Additional Personnel at Bulgaria's Borders with Turkey, Serbia

Frontex Deploys Additional Personnel at Bulgaria's Borders with Turkey, Serbia

Sofia, August 17 (BTA) - Frontex, the EU agency managing the cooperation between national border guards securing the Union's external borders, has increased the number of its personnel assisting Bulgaria to 77 persons at the border with Turkey and to 35 persons at the border with Serbia, the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria said Wednesday.

The deployment of the agency's additional personnel is in response to a request from Bulgarian authorities and will continue gradually in the weeks to come.

European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said that Frontex has reacted positively very quickly and has decided to broaden its operation in Bulgaria along the land borders with Turkey and Greece. The additional forces will be deployed gradually in the coming weeks, and the new officers and technical equipment, including for air and night surveillance, will assist the Bulgarian authorities in border protection, Avramopoulos said.