Türkiye emphasizes effective cooperation with Bulgaria to manage border security

ANKARA

Türkiye emphasized the need for effective cooperation with Bulgaria to deal with border security in the management of irregular migration, the Turkish president said on Friday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev in Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "We focused on the need for effective cooperation in the management of irregular migration."

This bilateral cooperation will further develop with the completion of the modernization of the border gates on the Bulgarian side and the strengthening of the food inspection infrastructure, he added.

He said the trade volume between Türkiye and Bulgaria reached $6 billion last year, adding that the common goal decided on Friday's talks was to increase it to $10 billion in a short time.

The issue of cooperation opportunities on energy security was on the agenda, he said, adding that Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry will take the necessary steps to help to meet Bulgaria's demand.

Meanwhile, for his side, Radev appreciated Türkiye's efforts to help forge a grain corridor deal and its support for Bulgaria's need for liquefied gas.

Friday's talks were "very helpful," he said, underlying the importance of increasing the security of border gates by taking steps jointly.

Bulgaria also hailed Ankara's efforts to prevent the increasing illegal immigration, he added.

On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a landmark agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which had been paused in February due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Days before its scheduled expiration, the landmark grain deal was extended for another 120 days, beginning Nov. 19.