Vietnam, Bulgaria strengthen cooperation in crime prevention and control

At the meeting, the two sides shared the same view that, since the establishment of Vietnam–Bulgaria diplomatic relations in 1950, the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries have developed positively and effectively across various fields.

Regarding cooperation between the two ministries, Minister Luong Tam Quang emphasized that the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior have implemented signed cooperation documents and coordinated effectively in investigating several important criminal cases.

To further strengthen bilateral cooperation, the two Ministers agreed to maintain regular delegation exchanges at all levels to promote collaboration in combating crimes, particularly organized crime, high-tech crime, economic crime, drug-related offenses and human trafficking.

The two sides also pledged to continue strengthening coordination in investigating transnational criminal cases and apprehending internationally wanted fugitives.

Minister Luong Tam Quang proposed that the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior assist the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security in enhancing the Vietnamese law enforcement force’s capacity for digital transformation, cybersecurity, rescue and relief operations, security industry development, as well as provide professional and Bulgarian-language training for Vietnamese police officers.

In addition, they pledged that the two ministries would create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese and Bulgarian communities to live and work legally and stably in each other’s country, boasting that the expat community can contribute to local economic growth as well as to cementing the enduring friendship between Vietnam and Bulgaria.

Notably, in the presence of General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister of Bulgaria Rosen Zhelyzkov, Minister Luong Tam Quang and Bulgarian Minister of the Interior Daniel Mitov signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam and the Ministry of the Interior of Bulgaria on Cooperation in safeguarding Cybersecurity and Combating High-Tech and Cybercrime. The newly signed deal will serve as an important foundation for the two ministries to strengthen cooperation between in these critical areas.

On the same day, Minister Luong Tam Quang also met with Deputy Director of the Bulgarian State Security Agency Georgi Georgiev.

To promote cooperation in ensuring security, the two sides agreed to enhance expert-level delegation exchanges, share information on global and regional security situations relevant to each country, and strengthen collaboration in counterterrorism. They also discussed opportunity for cooperation in training and capacity-building programs, particularly on cybersecurity, for public security officers.

Earlier that day, Minister Luong Tam Quang also met with leaders of several Bulgarian security industry enterprises to explore cooperation opportunity in defense and security technology development.