More information
Description
The project aims to support cooperation within the Schengen area. It will support the development and the future introduction of compensatory measures in the border area of the future internal borders. It also aims to improve bilateral cooperation in the field of internal border management and facilitate the introduction of compensatory measures related to border surveillance after the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Schengen area. After the Bulgarian-Turkish border the Bulgarian-Greek border is the most vulnerable and active in terms of illegal crossings. There is a trend of increased migratory pressure at the Bulgarian-Greek border at the expense of a reduced pressure at the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Since the beginning of 2018 the situation at the border with Greece is characterized as quite intense. This situation is an outcome of the increased security measures applied along the Bulgarian-Turkish border and the significant increase in the number of migrants in Greece as a result of the increase in cases of illegal crossing by sea from Turkey to the Greek islands. Analysis of the situation at the borders shows a clear tendency for the Bulgarian-Romanian border being second after the Bulgarian-Serbian as the most vulnerable to illegal exits of third-country nationals. While control at the Bulgarian-Serbian border, which is external border to EU, receives significant national and EU support, the control and surveillance along the Bulgarian-Romanian border relies solely on national investments in infrastructure and development of the bilateral cooperation in terms of exchange of information, support of the joint Bulgarian-Romanian contact center, and joint trans-border surveillance and pursuit activities.
In this regard, support measures that will facilitate the effective border control at the internal borders at whic
Summary of project results
Once Bulgaria has joined the Schengen area, internal border controls will be abolished. The abolition of border checks as a visible sign of free movement would lead to increase in crime across internal borders. In this context, the CDBP will focus its resources on police measures to prevent and counter cross-border crime and illegal migration, ensuring the security of the Schengen area.
The compensatory measures by which the CDBP will ensure the security of the common area include:
- carrying out checks in depth on the border area for persons illegally staying in the territory of the Schengen area;
- persons and belongings pledged, such as objects in the N.SIS;
- documentary crimes; -cases of trafficking in minors; -cases of trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation;
- carrying out cover-up surveillance and control by civilian officers with vehicles without police branding;
- increasing the number of joint checks for vehicles and trucks together with Customs in order to establish the illegal storage and transport of excise goods, narcotics, dual-use substances, weapons, ammunition and general dangerous means;
- increasing the number of joint operations and broadcast patrols with police departments and other control services in the border area;
- development of the Common contact centers (PCCCs);
- Fully implementation of police cooperation agreements in the cross-border pursuit and surveillance, with a view to ensure security on the territory of the Schengen area and prevent crimes as a result of internal border control reduction.
The activities set out in the project proposal complement the effective implementation of the compensatory measures implemented by the CDBP following Bulgaria''s accession to Schengen area.
The following activities are included in the project "Developing Cooperation in the Schengen Area":
- Activity 1 - Increasing the efficiency of border management at the Bulgarian-Romanian and Bulgarian-Greek borders by improving the working conditions of the staff (funds of BGN 1 153 000.00 provided);
- Activity 2 - Improvement of the technical capacities for border control and surveillance in the areas of the Regional Border Police Directorate Ruse and the Regional Border Police Directorate Smolyan (BGN 713 100.00);
- Activity 3 - Strengthening the capacity, including knowledge and skills, of the staff of the Border Police Directorate General (Regional Border Police Directorate Ruse and Regional Border Police Directorate Smolyan) through specialised training (funds of BGN 208 885.00);
- Activity 4 - Strengthening, cross-border cooperation and coordination with Romanian and Greek border police institutions (funds of BGN 131 685.00);
- Activity 5 - Project Management (funds of BGN 95 953.00);;
- Activity 6 - Information and publicity (funds of BGN 44 337.00);
Аctivity 1
1. Documentation has been prepared for the execution of a public procurement contract with the subject "Renovation of the administrative building of the Regional Directorate of Public Protection - building No 1" under 2 (two) separate items. The contract has not been advertised and has not been implemented.
2. A public procurement contract with the subject "Repair of the administrative building of the BPS Momchilgrad - RDBP Smolyan - Replacement of window frames in the administrative building of the BPS Momchilgrad - RDBP Smolyan" has been awarded and implemented.
3. Documentation has been prepared for the execution of a public procurement contract with the subject "Repair of the administrative building of the BPS Vidin - RDBP Ruse" under 2 (two) separate items. The contract has not been advertised and has not been implemented.
4. Documentation has been prepared for the implementation of the public procurement procedure "Construction of new premises for the keeping of service dogs for the needs of the RDBP Smolyan " under 2 (two) lots. The contract has not been advertised and has not been implemented.
5. Documentation has been prepared for the execution of a public procurement contract with the subject "Construction of "Administrative Building of the Gotsetse Delchev BPS – RDBP Smolyan - Stage 1" under 2 (two) lots. The contract has not been advertised and has not been implemented.
- Activity 2
1. A total of 25 (twenty-five) handheld thermal binoculars Bidentifier 100E were delivered, with included warranty support during the warranty period, for use in border surveillance in the responsibility areas of RDBP Ruse and RDBP Smolyan. The delivery has improved the effectiveness of the activities performed by border patrols and provided more reliable monitoring of the key directions for the potential movement of individuals attempting to breach border regulations. A practical training session for CDBP personnel was conducted on the operation and daily maintenance of the delivered PTICs. The results can be deemed sustainable, as all 25 (twenty-five) handheld thermal binoculars Bidentifier are currently in use for border surveillance in the responsibility areas of RDBP Ruse and RDBP Smolyan, and no technical malfunctions or other issues with their use have been reported to date.
2. A public tender for the supply and warranty maintenance of coastal river radars has been issued twice. No tenders were received within the deadline for submission and the procedure was terminated.
- Activity 3
1. Documentation has been prepared for the implementation of a public procurement procedure with the subject ''Provision of specialised training to CDBP staff'' under four lots. The contract has not been advertised and has not been implemented.
- Activity 4
No bilateral workshops have been held.
- Activity 5
Expenditure has been validated for payment request 1 and 2. During the implementation phase of the project, all staff have complied with their functions.
- Activity 6
A public procurement contract was awarded and executed with the subject ''Preparation of publicity and presentation material for the Information and Publicity Activity''.
The renovation of the CDBP building, financed under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, covers a site that will be used even after Bulgaria''s accession to the Schengen area. It is located in the area of responsibility of RDBP Smolyan and is used by officials who apply compensatory measures and cooperation with neighboring border authorities.
The delivery of modern equipment created conditions for increasing the efficiency of the work of border patrols and more reliable securing of the main directions and places of probable movement of persons attempting to violate the border regime.
The implementation of the project is related to activities for strengthening the bilateral cooperation, improving the working conditions of the employees and providing modern equipment. The implementation of the activities is the basis for the better work on the performance of official duties, the more effective interaction with the neighboring border services and in general the improvement of the implementation of the functions for border control at internal borders and the compensatory measures after Bulgaria''s accession to the Schengen area.