Türkiye, Greece, Bulgaria stress joint security, migration efforts

ATHENS

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi has said Türkiye’s security efforts also reinforce Europe’s safety, speaking after a trilateral meeting with Greek and Bulgarian counterparts to discuss migration and organized crime groups in Athens on April 29.

The “Trilateral Mechanism Meeting,” hosted by Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris and attended by Bulgarian Interior Minister Emil Dechev, focused on strengthening cooperation in tackling terrorism, organized crime and irregular migration.

Çiftçi said Türkiye’s law-based and humanitarian approach to combating crime has yielded tangible results. He added that the country’s increased deterrence in addressing irregular migration has significantly reduced its role as both a transit and destination point.

He also stressed that the trilateral mechanism has played a strategic role in achieving this outcome. Highlighting links between migrant smuggling and criminal as well as terrorist networks, Çiftçi said efforts against irregular migration must go hand in hand with the fight against terrorism and organized crime.

Plevris, for his part, said Greece’s strict migration policies are aimed at limiting crossings along both land and maritime borders. He welcomed the trilateral cooperation, noting a marked decline in irregular migrant numbers, and called for intensified action against smuggling networks, particularly along sea routes.

Dechev described the trilateral format as a well-established and effective platform for cooperation. He reaffirmed Bulgaria’s strong support for maintaining and strengthening the mechanism, adding that all three countries should continue building on existing progress, especially in border security and the fight against irregular migration and smuggling networks amid a complex regional and global security landscape.