EU will help Serbia fight illegal migration
The European Union has signed an agreement with Serbia on cooperation in border management between Belgrade and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
The corresponding statement was posted on the European Commission website, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The agreement was signed by EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and Finnish Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo, and on behalf of Serbia by Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanović.
Commissioner Avramopoulos thanked Serbia for its efforts and commitment to ensure close cooperation with the EU in the field of border management and migration.
“The agreement we signed further strengthens our relations with our partners in the Western Balkans and brings our neighbors closer to the EU,” Avrampoulos said.
The agreement allows the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to assist Serbia with border management, conduct joint operations and deploy teams in Serbia's regions bordering the EU. These activities are aimed at combating illegal migration and cross-border crime and may include the provision of enhanced technical and operational assistance at the border.
The EU has already signed similar cooperation agreements between the European Border and Security Agency with Albania and Montenegro. The conclusion of agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia is expected in the near future.
The EU will help Serbia combat illegal migration.