Law enforcement in Europe

EU approves action plan to deal with jihadists

The EU is determined to address potential security threats from jihad returnees from the Middle East.

The EU is changing its approach to more efficiently deal with Islamic fighters returning from Syria and the Middle East and posing security risks in their home countries, officials said.

Serbian media sources reported on Wednesday that 22,500 Serbian citizens applied for asylum in EU countries in 2013 a 17-per-cent increase on the figure for 2012.

Ivan Gerginov, Serbia’s assistant commissioner for refugees and migration, said the hike would not affect Serbia’s visa-free regime with the EU Schengen area.

Italy's Ambassador to Bulgaria Marco Conticelli has vowed support for the Schengen bids of Bulgaria and Romania during Italy's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Italy holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the period July-December 2014.

In a move that is expected to ease immigration pressure on Greece’s eastern border, the Turkish Parliament on Thursday ratified a readmission agreement with the European Union.

Under the deal, which was signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels in December, Turkey will have to take back immigrants who enter the bloc illegally via Turkey.

The Turkish Parliament June 25 ratified the Readmission Agreement between Ankara and Brussels, in a step welcomed by top EU officials.

Secretary of State for European Affairs George Ciamba in Luxembourg on Tuesday participated in the General Affairs Council meeting, the discussions having focused mainly on the preparation of the Summer European Council meeting (June 26-27, 2014), granting the candidate status to Albania, the annual exercise European Semester of coordinating the economic policies in the EU and the

Austria's Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz assesses positively Bulgaria's progress for Schengen area accession.

Kurz voiced his support for Bulgaria's entrance into Schengen during a meeting with his counterpart Kristian Vigenin in Vienna, Standartnews reported.

Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ministers of the countries participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) reunite on Wednesday and Thursday in Bucharest at the Parliament Palace to tackle the regional cooperation on illegal migration and human trafficking, police collaboration, fight against corruption, and enhancement of judicial cooperation.

Italy supports Bulgaria's Schengen bid, according to Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin.

Speaking Friday after a meeting with his Italian counterpart Federica Mogherini, Vigenin announced that Italy and Bulgaria would also work together on the implementation of the South Stream gas pipeline.

11 Bulgarians were arrested by the State Agency for National Security (DANS) for draining credit cards through skimming devices.

4 of the 11 Bulgarians who were arrested had European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued against them, according to a media statement of DANS.