site.btaInterior and Defence Ministers of Bulgaria, Macedonia Observe Border 2016 Exercise

Interior and Defence Ministers of Bulgaria, Macedonia Observe Border 2016 Exercise

Sofia, March 18 (BTA) - The ministers of interior of defence of Bulgaria and Macedonia Friday observed the Border 2016 exercise that took place in the area of the Zlatarevo border control checkpoint on the Bulgarian-Macedonian border.

Bulgaria's Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova and Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev arrived at the border crossing in a helicopter and welcomed there Macedonia's Internal Affairs Minister Oliver Spasovski and Defence Minister Zoran Jolevski.

The ministers observed an exercise with the participation of Interior Ministry employees, service members, border police personnel and the gendarmerie, which consisted in the prevention of an attempt of a group of migrants to cross the border. Border Police Deputy Director Stoyan Ivanov acquainted the ministers with the joint actions undertaken by the participants in the exercise for the protection and control along the Bulgarian-Macedonian border. The exercise was aimed at coordinating the forces and resources, maintaining the readiness for a reaction to a potential increase in the migrant pressure, and counteracting migrant smuggling.

Later on Friday, the four ministers flew in a helicopter to look at the terrain along the border.