site.btaIn Washington, Bulgarian Interior Minister Discusses Fight against Human Trafficking and Drugs

In Washington, Bulgarian Interior Minister Discusses Fight against Human Trafficking and Drugs

Washington/Sofia, July 20 (BTA) - During her working visit to the United States, Bulgarian Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova talked with Susan Coppedge, US Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, and with Luis Arreaga, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Buchvarova's ministry reported on Wednesday.

Meeting on Tuesday, Buchvarova and Coppedge discussed bilateral cooperation and the measures taken by Bulgaria and its Interior Ministry to suppress trafficking in people for sexual and labour exploitation. The guest stressed that Bulgaria's National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings is now working more actively than before.

The head of the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (CDCOC), Ivailo Spiridonov, who is accompanying Buchvarova during her visit, said that in 2015 the CDCOC was watching and working against 54 organized crime groups in Bulgaria engaged in human trafficking.

Ambassador Coppedge praised Sofia for adopting legislative measures to protect human trafficking victims as crime witnesses by providing them with special assistance and support, and to grant long-term stay permits to persons who want to cooperate with the authorities during criminal proceedings.

Reacting to a recommendation contained in the Trafficking in Persons Report of the US Department of State, Buchvarova said Bulgaria is developing additional social services for human trafficking victims.

A separate session on Wednesday between Buchvarova and Arreaga focused on anti-drugs cooperation. The Bulgarian minister underscored her government's remarkable cooperation with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the conduct of a number of successful joint operations. The two considered the possibility of US law enforcement academies providing additional training to Bulgarian Interior Ministry employees in combating drugs, organized crime and terrorism.

The fight against corruption was another highlight of the talks.

The Interior Minister's visit to Washington will continue with meetings with Justin Siberell, Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism in the Bureau of Counterterrorism at the US Department of State, with Chuck Rosenberg, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and with other senior US government officials.