Interreg Bulgaria-Türkiye programme provided new vehicles to tackle unauthorized crossings along the border. They were officially commissioned to police authorities in Burgas, Haskovo and Yambol.
The delivery includes 16 high-terrain cars and 3 minibuses. They are part of the strategic project “Joining for Safer Borders”, which aims to strengthen migration management and improve coordination between law enforcement agencies. The initiative brings together the Burgas, Haskovo and Yambol police directorates and the Edirne and Kırklareli governorships. The total budget is over EUR 1.7M, provided by the Bulgaria-Türkiye programme.
“Together we have taken another step in strengthening the cross-border region as a safe place that ensures the security of all citizens”, said Desislava Georgieva, head of the Managing Authority. “The focus of the project is also the police officers which have new modern equipment and advanced professional skills”, she added.
Serdar Öztürk from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye emphasized the work of the joint teams that will boost the security of our borders. ”This is not only for the safety of the region, it is also the security for the entire European Union”, Öztürk pointed out.
“The project will allow more coordinated and efficient action while ensuring the border management remains aligned with our shared European values, including respect of human dignity. This is what exactly Interreg programmes are about – to turn European cooperation into real results on the ground”, noted Margarita Grantcharska-De Muynck from DG Regio of the European Commission.
With this delivery, the Bulgarian partners have completed their part of the project, while Turkish authorities are expected to finalise their activities in the coming months. This includes additional specialized equipment, installation of border control systems and completion of language and professional training programmes.
