Frontex to send 500 – 600 staff to work with Bulgarian Border Police

Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, will send 500 to 600 staff to work with the Bulgarian Border Police in March, a statement by the country’s Interior Ministry quoted Frontex executive director Hans Leijtens as saying on February 29.

Leijtens was speaking while visiting the Bulgarian-Turkish border, accompanied by Bulgarian Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov.

Bulgaria has a very important role in guarding the external border of the EU, the statement quoted Leijtens as saying.

He said that he was visiting the Bulgarian-Turkish border for the first time.

Leijtens identified the observance of the fundamental rights of foreign citizens as one of the main issues: “I am pleased to hear from the Minister and the director of the Border Police directorate-general that the Bulgarian state is taking measures to guarantee fundamental rights and all efforts will be made in this regard,” the statement quoted him as saying.

According to Stoyanov, Bulgaria received an extremely high score for the results achieved in terms of illegal migration – compared with last year, there was a decrease of nearly 80 per cent in the number of people who tried to illegally cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

Stoyanov said that all measures have been taken to guarantee the basic rights of foreign citizens, including daily training of the staff.

(Photo of Leijtens: Interior Ministry)