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The Romanian Border Guards (RBGs) on board of the maritime patrol vessel MAI 1102 of the Coast Guard have left on a new two-month FRONTEX mission, which will take place in the Mediterranean Sea, representatives of the institution informed on Friday.
The 28 crew members of the Romanian Border Police vessel will carry out patrol, search and rescue missions at the maritime border in southern Italy, told Agerpres.
"From 17.03.2023 to 22.05.2023, the maritime patrol vessel MAI 1106, newly joined to the Romanian Border Police, will participate in the Joint Operation 'THEMIS 2023', organized by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), which will take place at the external maritime borders of the EU. The Romanian Border Police ship has a crew of 28 members and will carry out individual patrol, search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea, at the maritime border in southern Italy, together with the police and law enforcement forces of all EU Member States participating in the mission. The aim will be to undertake joint measures to control migration flows at the EU maritime borders, to increase the efficiency of data and information exchange between the law enforcement authorities of these countries, and the effective experience exchange between European border guards," says a press release issued by the Coast Guard.
According to the cited source, the acquisition of this maritime patrol ship gives the Romanian Border Police a boost in the operational intervention capacity, aimed at carrying out specific missions in order to ensure respect for the rights of the Romanian state in maritime waters in the area of competence, surveillance and control of the maritime border, preventing and combating illegal migration and specific acts of cross-border crime, searching for vessels in danger and rescuing their crews.
Moreover, in the context of the management of the migration phenomenon at the external borders of the EU, the acquisition of new means of naval mobility is opportune for the fulfillment of the commitments of the Romanian Border Police towards FRONTEX, regarding the deployment of technical equipment in joint operations carried out at the external maritime border of the EU.
"The main objective of the Joint Operation 'THEMIS 2023' is to assist the Italian authorities in the surveillance and control of the European Union maritime borders, as well as in the search and rescue of persons in distress at sea at the external border of the European Union. The activity is a continuation of the border control operations organised by FRONTEX, in which the Romanian Border Police has made a significant contribution, both in terms of technical means and in terms of the number, profiles and professionalism of the experts deployed, having gained the appreciation of both the Italian authorities and FRONTEX. The operation is financed by FRONTEX," the press release reads.
