Serbia signed an agreement with the European border guard agency "Frontex" aimed at strengthening operational cooperation between the European Union and the Balkan country, reported AFP.
According to the agreement, Frontex will now have the right to conduct joint operations and deploy European border and coast guard officers on Serbian territory, including on the borders with neighbouring non-EU countries.
"Strengthening border management along the migration route is essential to reduce the number of illegal arrivals, also given the changing modus operandi of traffickers and the risks associated with firearms trafficking and organized crime," it said. in a statement by the European Commission.
The agreement was signed by European Home Affairs Commissioner Ilva Johansson and Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic in Belgrade after more than a year of negotiations.
"Serbia protects its borders, but in this way, it also guarantees the security and stability of the whole of Europe. That is why we need a unified response and support," said Dacic.
Frontex has deployed more than 480 staff in the Western Balkans as part of joint operations at the EU's external borders with Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro.
Serbia, which has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012, is on the "Balkan route" used by migrants heading to the European Union.
In the first 10 months of last year, nearly 100,000 migrants passed through this route, according to Frontex data.
In the past, Serbian authorities have been accused of targeting migrants and forcing them back to neighbouring countries. | BGNES
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