(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6. Cătălin Predoiu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of Romania, held a meeting with Ivica Dačić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Trend reports.

The meeting provided an opportunity for a thorough exchange of views on issues of mutual interest, including securing the common border, strengthening cooperation between specialized structures in combating cross-border crime, continuing joint access to non-reimbursable external funds, and expanding collaboration in the field of emergency situations through the creation of a bilateral legal framework.

The meeting confirmed the relationship of respect, mutual understanding, and friendship between the two parties, which should be continued and strengthened as neighboring states. The relationship between Romania and Serbia has a special strategic dimension, also reflected in people-to-people ties, Serbian and Romanian communities in both countries, and consistent commercial exchanges.

Thus, cooperation is not only necessary but also a shared responsibility to ensure the safety of citizens and regional stability. The seriousness with which Romania approaches collaboration with Serbia is reflected in the level of the Ministry of Internal Affairs delegation, which included the heads of the Police and Border Police structures.

Discussions highlighted the interest of both parties in intensifying police cooperation to combat cross-border crime, with a focus on human trafficking, migrant trafficking, and drug trafficking. Both ministers agreed to strengthen the exchange of operational information and to establish, based on field needs, various formats of bilateral operational cooperation. They also agreed on an upcoming exchange of best practices regarding new threats in the digital space, crisis negotiation approaches, and collaboration in special operations.

The results of bilateral operational cooperation in investigating and combating international drug trafficking were also emphasized, with substantial high-risk drug seizures achieved in recent years.

To optimally manage illegal migration in the region, the delegations committed to closely monitoring migration flows along the Western Balkans route, ensuring an effective exchange of information between the competent authorities of Romania and Serbia, as well as with other regional partners.

The exemplary cooperation between the border structures of the two countries was also praised, which has led to improved protection of the Romanian-Serbian border. It was agreed to continue joint border patrol missions, monthly territorial-level meetings, and leadership-level discussions on current issues in border management. The Iron Gates I Joint Contact Point was highlighted as a useful tool for bilateral border cooperation, facilitating the rapid exchange of information in specific cases, and full use of this facility was agreed upon.

All these bilateral efforts have significantly contributed to Romania's progress toward full accession to the Schengen Area. In this context, the Romanian Minister of Internal Affairs assured partners that Romania's implementation of new instruments will not affect citizens of the neighboring state.

Minister Dačić emphasized that Romania is a reliable neighbor and an important partner for Serbia in the region. He highlighted the importance of consolidating bilateral operational cooperation to ensure a safe environment for citizens of both countries.

At the end of the discussions, both ministers reiterated the strong cooperative relationship between the two states and the importance of maintaining and developing it to address current challenges in a unified manner.

During the meeting, Minister Predoiu and his Serbian counterpart signed the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Serbia on cooperation in the prevention, mitigation, and elimination of disaster effects. The document establishes the technical modalities for Romanian and Serbian authorities to carry out joint actions to prevent, mitigate, and eliminate disaster effects in a manner aligned with European and international standards and recommendations.

MENAFN06102025000187011040ID1110155020