site.btaForum in Sofia Brings Together Alumni, Leadership of International Law Enforcement Academy

A forum here on Wednesday brought together alumni and the leadership of the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Budapest. An emphasis was put on the successful cooperation between the Bulgarian law enforcement community and the academy, which provides regional education in criminal justice, the Interior Ministry said in a press release.

The participants in the forum were greeted by outgoing Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov and US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten.

In his address, Stoyanov said that quality education of Interior Ministry staff is one of the key priorities of the Ministry's leadership. "New knowledge and skills are an instrument for timely and adequate response to the challenges we face in our daily work. A large part of the leadership of the Interior Ministry, me included, are alumni of ILEA," he noted. He noted as a key element in the context of the dynamically changing security environment the practice-oriented and present-focused courses that contribute to the development and affirmation of good practices and the improvement of interaction.

Participating in the discussion panels organized within the forum were the Interior Ministry Secretary General, Chief Commissioner Zhivko Kotsev, the heads of the five chief directorates and the Sofia Directorate of Interior, and Interior Ministry experts. They agreed that the education provided by ILEA contributes to a sustainable capacity with high value added.