Visit of the European Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Diane Schmitt
On the 14th and 15th of November, the European AnTrafficking Coordinator, Diane Schmitt, conducted a two-day visit to Bulgaria.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss the current trends and challenges at the national and European levels, the achievements to date, and future actions in the codex of the implementation of the EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy (2021-2025), the implementation and updating of the European Anti-Trafficking Directive.
Prevention, protection, investigation, and prosecution were some of the main topics discussed with the member institutions of the NCCTHB, NGOs, and international organizations represented in Bulgaria
New realities, including the online dimension of crime, as a method of involvement, as a tool for prevention, and as an additional opportunity for evidence gathering were an important focus of all discussions.
Diane Schmitt acknowledged Bulgaria's well-established institutional and legislative framework in combating human trafficking, which creates conditions for a unified response of all responsible institutions and organizations.
The intensive exchange of experiences and the improvement of cooperation, both bilaterally and among Member States, through the networks and tools for interaction in all aspects available to the EU, are a prerequisite for the overall improvement of the environment, both countries of origin and in countries of destination for victims of human trafficking.
During the two-day visit, the European Anti-Trafficking Coordinator held meetings with all responsible institutions on the subject as well as with NGOs. Diane Schmitt also visited the shelter for temporary accommodation of victims of human trafficking in Sofia.