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Migrant pressure at the border between Romania and Serbia has halved January through October 2022, compared to the same time span in 2021, the General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) told AGERPRES on Wednesday.
"Compared to the same period of the previous year, there is a decrease in migration pressure at the border with Serbia by approximately 50% in 10 months, which confirms both the effectiveness of the measures arranged for border control and surveillance, as well as the fact that Romania is not on the main route chosen by migrants to reach the Schengen Area," says the abovementioned source.
Thus, in the first 10 months of 2022, the border police discovered more than 4,400 people attempting to enter the country illegally, and more than 5,400 were caught while trying to leave Romania illegally.
"In this context, approximately 470 people involved in migrant trafficking were identified - guides, transporters, facilitators, of which 175 were sent to court in their capacity as defendants," states the IGPF.
Regarding their nationality, most migrants come from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Nepal and Egypt, representatives of the Border Police told AGERPRES.
As a result of the measures ordered at the border with Serbia to strengthen the state border surveillance device, action was taken in collaboration with the Serbian border authorities to prevent the illegal crossing of foreign citizens from the neighbouring country.
Thus, in the first 10 months of 2022, it was possible to prevent more than 26,000 people from entering the country.
"As regards the staff shortage, the Romanian Border Police has approximately 84% of its staff needs covered. In this respect, considering the situation at the border with Serbia, in particular, the police continued to operate in an integrated system, while also taking measures to strengthen the surveillance and control, including with the help of additional staff from FRONTEX," the IGPF told AGERPRES.
The Police also increased both the number of crews carrying out surveillance missions at the border and the necessary surveillance equipment.
According to the same source, missions were carried out together with the other structures of the Ministry of Interior (Romanian Police, Romanian Gendarmerie and the General Inspectorate for Immigration), including aerial missions with means belonging to the General Aviation Inspectorate, so that the phenomenon is managed appropriately.
"In addition, we remind you that, for the management of this phenomenon, special importance is given to the cooperation with the border authorities from the neighbouring countries and from the other states of the European Union, as well as with the FRONTEX Agency, through an exchange of data and information regarding the persons/the known groups with concerns along the lines of illegal migration, based on protocols, plans or cooperation agreements," informs the same source.
Since the beginning of the year, on the territory of Romania, the TERRA 2022 Joint Operation has been taking place under the coordination of the FRONTEX Agency. The operation takes place at the land border with Serbia, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and aims to prevent and combat illegal migration on the respective segments of the external border of the European Union.
Within this operation, the Agency supported the IGPF with human and material resources in carrying out operative missions, including means of aerial surveillance.
Through these actions, it is intended to undertake joint measures in preventing and countering the migration phenomenon at the land borders of the community space, while increasing the efficiency of the exchange of data and information between the law enforcement authorities of these countries, as well as an effective exchange of experience between European border police.
"Furthermore, the situation is carefully monitored, both at the national and at the European level, and the measures arranged to increase the operative capacity in the area of competence are being maintained, progressively, depending on the dynamics of the operative situation," underscores the IGPF.
