Romanian-Turkish cooperation on internal affairs was on the agenda of talks held on Thursday by Internal Affairs Minister Catalin Predoiu and his Turkish counterpart Ali Yerlikaya, during the latter's official visit to Romania, with talks reaffirming a shared vision of a safe, stable and prosperous Black Sea region.
According to a press release of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) sent to AGERPRES, the visit also provided the opportunity for the signing of a joint declaration setting out clear directions for action and cooperation mechanisms designed to deliver tangible results for the benefit of citizens in both countries.
"At regional level, we are linked by a maritime border of strategic importance - the Black Sea - but above all by a shared vision: building a secure, well-connected and prosperous region, fully anchored in the Euro-Atlantic space. In the current international context, this convergence of interests makes it all the more necessary to strengthen our cooperation. The already solid collaboration in combating illegal migration, cross-border crime and ensuring maritime safety in the Black Sea demonstrates the real potential of this partnership," Catalin Predoiu said, as quoted in the press release.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that, during the visit, the two officials held substantive consultations which reconfirmed the "excellent" level of cooperation between Romania and Turkey, as well as their shared commitment to strengthening political dialogue and operational cooperation between the two ministries' structures.
"The discussions focused on the main areas of cooperation in the field of internal affairs, with an emphasis on combating organised cross-border crime, preventing and fighting illegal migration, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, drug and arms trafficking, as well as cooperation in counter-terrorism and the financing of terrorism. Both sides highlighted the importance of professional training, the exchange of best practices and the conduct of joint operational activities," the ministry said.
The dialogue also underlined the "very good" cooperation between the Romanian Border Police and the Turkish Coast Guard, as well as effective collaboration within SELEC - the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center - particularly in the areas of human trafficking, migrant smuggling and drug trafficking.
At the same time, the two sides agreed to continue joint activities this year, both in Romania and in Turkey, including in the area of professional training, and to intensify cooperation between the two national police forces in preventing and combating cross-border crime.
"Another important area addressed was cooperation in the management of emergency situations, given the similar risks generated by the geographical position of the two countries. The sustained pace of development in relations between the Romanian Gendarmerie and the Turkish Gendarmerie was also highlighted, materialised in 2025 through reciprocal visits at leadership level and through joint training activities," the cited source added.
The visit also provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on regional security in the Black Sea area, including cooperation within NATO and Turkey's contribution to strengthening deterrence and defence on the Eastern Flank.
The meeting took place at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Predoiu and marked the first visit to Romania in more than ten years by a Turkish interior minister, at a moment of particular significance for bilateral relations: in 2026, Romania and Turkey will mark 15 years since the establishment of their Strategic Partnership, the Ministry of Internal Affairs recalled.
According to the ministry, the Turkish interior minister was accompanied by a large, high-level delegation comprising the leadership of the main internal affairs structures: the Turkish Gendarmerie, the Turkish National Police, the Border Police, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the authority responsible for migration management. This, the ministry noted, "reflects the particular importance both sides attach to the concrete advancement and effective implementation of the objectives and actions agreed during this visit".
The two ministers agreed to continue their sustained political dialogue and to closely monitor the implementation of the concrete actions set out in the signed joint declaration, with the aim of strengthening security, stability and institutional response capacity in both countries, as well as enhancing bilateral cooperation in the face of current and future challenges.
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