site.btaInterior Minister Participates in Conference on Security in Black Sea Region in Bucharest

Interior Minister Daniel Mitov Wednesday participated in a conference on regional and global security in the Black Sea region, taking place in Bucharest, the Interior Ministry's press office said. Leading political representatives, ministers and experts discussed issues related to geopolitical trends, including in terms of current security challenges on a regional and global scale.

The forum is an initiative of Romanian academic organizations, analysts and professionals in the social and economic field as a platform for preparing innovative reforms on various topics. Keynote speeches in the opening panel were delivered by Minister Mitov and Ruxandra Ivan, State Counsellor for European Affairs at the Office of the Romanian Prime Minister.

Mitov said that constant exchange of information, active cooperation between Member States, third countries and EU agencies, joint operations and investigations are among the key measures to address the evolving security challenges in the Black Sea region. Among them, he pointed to countering cybercrime and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs.

A comprehensive, strategic approach to the region is needed, he noted. Against the backdrop of the dynamic geopolitical situation, it is increasingly important to achieve connectivity in all its dimensions - both infrastructure and in areas such as energy, energy independence, security and defence, Mitov said. The Minister also underscored the role of regional cooperation initiatives such as the Bucharest-based Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), in ensuring a high level of security. According to Mitov, "if we want to preserve our freedoms in the EU, we need to step up joint efforts to secure external borders."

Bulgaria is investing significant resources on an ongoing basis. Significant results have been achieved, he argued. An example of European solidarity is the joint action with Frontex and the contingent at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, which includes border guards from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, Mitov said.