Frontex Officers To Be Deployed also on Serbia’s Borders with Non-EU Countries

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson in Belgrade on June 25 (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic on June 25 said that officers of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) would be deployed also on Serbia’s borders with non-EU countries. 

This is envisaged under an upgraded agreement on operational activities carried out by Frontex in Serbia, signed between Dacic and EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson in Belgrade on June 25. 

“Owing to this agreement, Frontex border guards will be deployed not only along the border line with Bulgaria and Hungary, but also along Serbia’s borders with third countries,” Dacic said, noting that this would significantly contribute to fighting cross-border crime and irregular migration. 

On June 25, Serbia also received a donation from the EU - 56 patrol vehicles for border police and border surveillance system, which Dacic described as extremely important as it would not only help protect the borders of Serbia, but also of the EU. 

Johansson told reporters that the Serbia-EU partnership was important and would continue. 

“You have demonstrated commitment and produced results. It is important that the number of migrants coming to the EU has been declining thanks to your good actions and reduction in the number of illegal border crossings, while on the other hand, you have prosecuted more migrant smugglers,” she said.