The Head of EU Delegation and EU Special Representative Luigi Soreca met today with the Director of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mirko Kuprešaković at the Border Police Headquarters in Sarajevo. During the meeting, Ambassador Soreca underlined the EU’s commitment to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in ensuring orderly and humane border management and combatting irregular migration.

Ambassador Soreca and Director Kupresakovic discussed key issues, including the upcoming initialling of the FRONTEX Status Agreement scheduled for 18 December 2024. Once the Status Agreement is eventually signed, this will enable the deployment of FRONTEX teams with executive powers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking a significant step forward in strengthening border security and regional cooperation.

Following the meeting, Ambassador Soreca handed over an EU donation worth 1.1 million euros that will help improve border infrastructure, enhance surveillance capabilities and support inter-agency cooperation. The equipment includes 130 high-quality document verification devices, 300 travel document readers, 180 computers for border crossings and specialised tools for detecting concealed persons and controlled substances. This equipment will be deployed at the Border Police Headquarters and border crossings to improve the efficiency of the Border Police across the country. This equipment is part of the broader EU support provided since the establishment of the Border Police in 2000.

“We had a very constructive meeting today with Director Kupresakovic, addressing some of the most pressing issues that are key for strengthening BiH border management and tackling organised migrant smuggling effectively. It is important to have a strong and resilient Border Police, which has demonstrated outstanding resilience and effectiveness despite significant resource challenges. I am pleased that the EU can support the work of the Border Police both materially and operationally. Apart from today’s donation of specialised equipment, our support has included specialised vehicles, advanced surveillance systems as well as specialised training for new officers to efficiently fight against human trafficking and organised crime”, said Ambassador Soreca.

“This generous donation is of exceptional significance to the members of the BiH Border Police, as it will be used in their daily operations to check travel documents, prepare reports, create and manage essential databases, and inspect vehicles. The travel document readers and computers will be installed at border crossings to strengthen border control processes. From a security perspective, this equipment is invaluable, as challenges like illegal migration often bring associated criminal activities such as human smuggling, trafficking, and document forgery. Having specialised tools like these greatly enhances our ability to safeguard the state border more effectively. Thanks to EU funding, the improvement of our material and technical capacities significantly improves the operational efficiency of police officers, contributing to the overall security of BiH and the wider region,” said Director Kupresakovic. He also expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Soreca and the European Union for their generous donation, their recognition of the importance of investing in the BiH Border Police, and their continuous support over many years.

The BiH Border Police operates at 86 border-crossing points, 59 of which are international, and 27 for border area traffic, covering up to 10 km from the border. In its fight against terrorism, organised crime, drug and human trafficking and illegal migration, the BiH Border Police is a key agency in enhancing security in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.