site.btaBulgaria, Greece Consider Enhancing Cooperation After Border Control Abolition

Caretaker Minister of the Interior Atanas Ilkov held a talk with Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis. The occasion was the upcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on December 12, where ministers are expected to adopt a decision on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area and land borders, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

Ilkov expressed his gratitude for the consistent support Bulgaria is receiving from Greece for full Schengen membership and briefed his counterpart on the results of the meeting of the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Romania, Austria and Hungary held on November 22 in Budapest, which is an important step for the adoption of the Council decision.

Chrysochoidis congratulated Bulgaria for the expected completion of the process and defined the success as well-deserved both for the country and for Europe.

The two ministers praised the existing bilateral cooperation in the field of home affairs and the results achieved in different areas. They expressed their readiness to enhance it in view of the forthcoming abolition of controls at the common land border.

In this context, it was agreed to hold a high-level meeting between representatives of the competent Bulgarian and Greek police authorities with a view to planning future joint actions.

Countering illegal migration and all forms of organized crime, with a focus on migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, etc., remain priorities for cooperation. Ilkov invited Minister Chrysochoidis to visit Sofia to discuss in more depth the main aspects of cooperation.

Earlier on Wednesday, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said that he had received an assurance from the Dutch government on Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area.