site.btaEU Justice Ministers Discuss Effective Fight against Migrant Smuggling

Minister of Justice Atanas Slavov participated in the discussion on a directive to effectively counter illegal trafficking of migrants by establishing minimum common standards in the national legislations of EU member states during the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, the press office of Slavov’s ministry said on Tuesday.

The meeting, which was held in a mixed format including EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, supported the proposal. The need to modernise the existing legal framework at EU level to sanction those involved in migrant smuggling was also highlighted.

During the policy debate on the need to further explore the elements of the crime of smuggling of migrants, Minister Slavov emphasised the need to address the criminalisation of the activity itself by establishing minimum common standards in national legal frameworks.

At a working lunch with his EU counterparts to discuss the fight against impunity for crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, Minister Slavov expressed Bulgaria's support for all international initiatives to restore justice in Ukraine, including Bulgaria's readiness to join the joint investigation team of Eurojust. In a conversation with the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin, Minister Slavov discussed the possibility of supporting the investigations conducted by Ukraine, as well as of initiating a criminal investigation in Bulgaria for war crimes and crimes against peace and humanity.

There was also a thematic discussion on the rule of law where the ministers exchanged views on ways to ensure the sustainability of the judiciary in the fight against criminal groups, the statement said.