site.btaBulgarian-Turkish Cooperation Key to Regional Security, Says PM Zhelyazkov at Meeting with Turkish Prosecutor General Senturk

Cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkiye is of key importance for security in the region, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said Tuesday during his meeting with Muhsin Senturk, Prosecutor General of Turkiye's Supreme Court of Appeal. Zhelyazkov received Senturk for talks at the Council of Ministers as a reflection of the excellent bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Partnership is always based on trust, Zhelyazkov stressed during the meeting. He emphasized that all forms of bilateral cooperation are operating at the highest level, particularly highlighting the productive political dialogue and the strong collaboration between the security services of the two nations. According to him, these efforts provide greater guarantees for the security not only of Bulgaria and Turkiye but also of Europe, thanks to the effective counteraction to illegal migration and the protection of their shared border, which also serves as the external border of the European Union.

Zhelyazkov also pointed to the shared focus on ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea and praised the effectiveness of the joint mine countermeasures group operating in cooperation with Romania. He added that the coordinated actions of the Bulgarian, Romanian, and Turkish naval forces are widely recognized as a model of partnership and coordination amid a complex geopolitical environment.

During the meeting, Zhelyazkov and Senturk agreed on the vital role of the joint efforts of Bulgaria and Turkiye in combating cross-border crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, and human, fuel, and cigarette smuggling. The Bulgarian PM also underscored the mutual interest in deepening cooperation between the two countries in the areas of economy, trade, and connectivity.

For his part, Senturk reaffirmed that Bulgaria and Turkiye are stronger together in the fight against organized and transnational crime. He praised the excellent level of cooperation between the law enforcement and judicial authorities of the two countries, stressing that this partnership is essential for the security of both nations.