Premium
Austrian IntMin Karner: Cooperation model agreed with Romania to fight migrant smuggling to also be promoted in EU
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said on Wednesday that the cooperation model agreed with Romania in the fight against cross-border crime related to migrant smuggling is also to be promoted at European level, told Agerpres.
Karner held talks with Romanian Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu in Vienna on Wednesday.
"This discussion today is a logical consequence of the meetings so far. I was in Bucharest in June where I discussed with the Minister's predecessor, Mr Lucian Bode, police cooperation in this area. In April I signed with Minister Bode an action plan in the area of crime related to migrant smugglers. It was a decisive moment and the beginning of cooperation, a very important moment that we have discussed today. In April, it was also agreed that in the triangle of Hungary, Romania and Serbia, joint patrols would be deployed. And with this pact, it is possible that those who exit through Hungary and end up in Romania can be followed further into Romania. This is also the basis from which we started today's discussions," Karner said, according to the official translation, in a joint press conference with Predoiu.
The Austrian Interior Minister also mentioned other measures agreed to combat cross-border crime.
"Measures have been established to combat cross-border crime, including sending a Romanian officer to the Police Cooperation Centre in Vienna. An Austrian officer will also be sent to the Police Cooperation Centre in Oradea. It is particularly important to take these measures in the fight against cross-border crime related to migrant smuggling," Gerhard Karner pointed out.
According to him, cross-border cooperation is showing "great results" in an action carried out by Romanian, Hungarian and Austrian authorities.
"Thirty-six searches were carried out in Romania, Hungary and Austria. Six people were arrested, one person in Romania and one person in Austria, which shows that the pact between us is working," Karner said.
The Austrian minister added that this model of cooperation is also to be promoted at European level.
"We want to promote this cooperation also at European level, because these are issues of particular importance, cooperation in securing the external borders of the Union, cooperation in the area of asylum procedures and police measures and I would like to thank the Romanian Minister of the Interior for all the efforts made by the Romanian authorities," Gerhard Karner said, according to the official translation.
