Romania deploys 370 police officers, four boats for FRONTEX operations in 2017

The Romanian Border Police in 2017 participated in 13 joint operations and a pilot project organised under the aegis of the FRONTEX European Border and Coast Guard Agency, having deployed 370 border guards and four sea-going boats, according to the 2017 activity report released by head of the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) Ioan Buda on Thursday.

Additionally, three utility vehicles equipped with thermal imaging cameras, six canine crews, 27 patrol cars, and 46 passenger cars were also dispatched for the same purpose.

"Last year, the border guards aboard Romanian Border Police boats made an important contribution to the missions carried out in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean as they rescued more than 1,800 people in overcrowded boats in danger of sinking," according to the report.

In 2017, cooperation plans were concluded and implemented with similar bodies of Hungary, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine as well as with other member states of the European Union that involved 545 IGPF staff.

IGPF also participated in the activities of the European Coast Guard Function Forum and a joint exercise to prepare member states for the implementation of the Integrated Maritime Policy and the development of cooperation between the institutions.

During the reference period, 680 border guards attended training, specialisation and career development classed organised under the aegis of FRONTEX, EUROPOL, CEPOL, etc.

"On December 1, 2017, the National Programme covering the Internal Security Fund, Borders and Visa Component 2014-2020 was revised by providing an additional 8,500,000 euros for the Frontex Specific Equipment Action for the acquisition of three fats intervention boast and a patrol boat that can be deployed within the FRONTEX Joint Operations framework." AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Alexandru Florea, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)