site.btaFrontex to Continue Operational Support to General Directorate Border Police

General Directorate Border Police’s Director Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov attended the 100th meeting of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) Board on June 12-13, 2024 in Brussels, General Directorate Border Police’s press office said on Thursday. The agenda of the meeting included issues related to the management of the Agency, operational support to Member States and the protection of external borders, the new Migration and Asylum Pact.

The European Commission presented the Migration and Asylum Pact and said it would support Member States with financial assistance to cover the needs arising for its implementation from June 2026.

A bilateral meeting was held with the Frontex Deputy Executive Director for Returns and Operations Lars Gerdes. He agreed that the level of operational support provided by the Agency will remain at the same level during the summer months. The Agency has committed to continue to provide monthly 165 European Border and Coast Guard permanent corps officers for border control along the Bulgarian-Turkish border. 

Enhanced support to the Bulgarian-Serbian border will also continue to prevent secondary movements. In addition, Gerdes said that he was extremely satisfied with the level of cooperation and the integration of the Permanent Corps officers in border control along the Bulgarian borders.

The Romanian representatives at the meeting informed the Board members about the technological innovations related to the use of the Schengen Information System by mobile phone as a compensatory measure. On the Bulgarian side, it was stated that joint patrols with Romanian counterparts have been increased, but until border checks are lifted at this border, which has an extremely low level of migration pressure, resources are being used which could be directed to busier areas at the EU's external borders. 

Zlatanov presented the operational situation at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, pointing out that the good results are complex. In addition to the measures taken by the General Directorate Border Police, the increased cooperation with the Turkish side has led to a reduction of migration pressure. In his statement, Zlatanov said that Bulgaria is ready to be an intermediary in strengthening the cooperation of Frontex with the Republic of Turkiye.