30-09-2022 10:30
The Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, in its capacity of Programme Operator of the Home Affairs Programme funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021, hosted a meeting between the Programme Operators (POs) of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece aimed at strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences and best practices.
The meeting was held in Sofia in the period 28 – 29 September 2022. Attendees from the European and Development Programmes Management Agency (EDPMA) (GR), International Projects Directorate (BG) and the External Grants Bureau (RO) as well as representatives of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the National Focal Points of Bulgaria and Greece took part in the first day of the meeting. Participants discussed topics related to the preparation and the implementation of the programmes in the beneficiary countries and exchanged views on possible actions that could facilitate the effective implementation of the programmes, especially in the light of the recent economic crisis and the war of aggression in Ukraine. The POs also shared their views for possible future financing framework in the asylum and migration area (PA 18) as well as in the areas of Correctional Services and Pre-trial Detention (PA 19) and International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime (PA 20).
With view to further exploring future joint activities aimed at strengthening cooperation and exchanging experiences and best practices in these areas, the second day of the meeting was dedicated to detailed presentations and exchanges of best practice among beneficiaries from Greece and Bulgaria. The POs, NFPs and DPPs were joined by representatives from the Hellenic Police (HP-EL), the General Secretariat of Anti-Crime Policy (GSACP-EL), the Chief Directorate Combating Organized Crime at the Ministry of Interior (CDCOC-BG), the International Operational Cooperation Directorate at the Ministry of Interior (IOCD-BG), Ministry of Justice (MJ-BG) and the Mission of the International Organization for Migration in Bulgaria (IOM-BG). On-the-spot visits were made at General Directorate National Police (GDNP-BG) and the Sofia Metropolitan Police Directorate to present their experience in the implementation of projects supported by the Norway Grants. GDNP-BG shared their experience in three on-going projects in the area of combatting domestic and gender based violence, material evidences and pre-trail investigation process and dialog between police and Roma society. Participants got acquainted with forensic equipment delivered under NFM at the Sofia Metropolitan Police Directorate.
This multilateral activity, supported under the Fund for Bilateral Relations of the BG Home Affairs Programme, serves as a basis for the establishment of a Programme Operators forum between Bulgaria, Romania and Greece for further exchanges on capacity building measures and best practices on relevant areas of concern. Participants agreed that the Programme Operators Forum will be held in Greece in the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023.
