site.btaActing Prosecutor General, Eurojust President Urge Stronger Cooperation Between European Institutions, Balkan States

Bulgaria's acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov and Eurojust President Michael Schmid concurred that Forum of Prosecutors General of the Balkan States, whose fourth meeting took place in Sofia, is a working framework for deepening cooperation on criminal investigations in the region, the prosecution service said on Tuesday. 

Sarafov and Schmid held a working meeting within the framework of the forum of prosecutors general of Southeastern Europe. The head of the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation thanked Sarafov for the opportunity to participate in the high-level forum, which Bulgaria is hosting for the second time.

Sarafov said: "Our societies expect efficient and swift justice, and it is our duty to deliver it. A key tool for achieving this is international cooperation." He stressed that Eurojust plays an important role in this effort. "The Balkans are a complex region. We have different religions and beliefs, all within a small territory, but we must pool our efforts because our goal is shared," he said. He noted the forum's importance as another step towards strengthening security and the rule of law in the region. 

Michael Schmid said that in Sofia he discussed prospects for concluding agreements between Eurojust and the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkiye. He highlighted the need to deepen cooperation among prosecution services and courts across the region, despite political differences.

Earlier in October, Sarafov and Schmid attended the 19th Meeting of the Consultative Forum of the Prosecutors General and the Heads of Criminal Prosecutions of the EU Member States (Eurojust Consultative Forum) in The Hague.