The Interior Ministry is preparing a major operation against migrant traffickers together with Turkey, Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev announced on Thursday.
The issue of guarding the Bulgarian border with Turkey has a direct bearing on the country’s membership in Schengen. Bulgaria’s admission was blocked by the Netherlands and Austria, with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte demanding evidence that the Bulgarian border could not be crossed for €50.
“Traffickers operate mainly from Turkish territory. That is where the cash flows serving this illegal activity are concentrated,” said Demerdzhiev. Two days ago, a Bulgarian policeman was arrested in Bulgaria for transporting migrants in his car.
“It is satisfactory to me that the other officers did not hesitate to handcuff him, detain him and charge him criminally. They did not hesitate to remove him from his position and start disciplinary proceedings,” Demerdzhiev said.
Austria has tied its agreement to Schengen expansion to the implementation of its five-point plan, among which is strengthening the protection of external borders. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said the EU should support Bulgaria to build a better fence along the border with Turkey, but the Commission does not want to pay for such a fence, which would cost nearly €2 billion.
(Krassen Nikolov | EURACTIV.bg)
Source: euractiv.com
