On Wednesday 3 June, Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, concluded a three-day visit to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, aimed at deepening security and migration cooperation in the Balkan region.
In Serbia, the agency signed a Partnership Academy Agreement to bring the Ministry of the Interior into its training network. The objective is to align the methods of Serbian border guards with EU standards, thereby meeting Serbia’s obligations as a candidate for EU membership.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the trip marked the operational launch of the 2025 status agreement, which extends the deployment of Frontex to the country’s external borders - in particular along the Drina River, a major migration route.
To optimise the conduct of operations, the agency also signed a letter of intent with EUFOR Althea, the European military mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to coordinate their action on the ground. Lastly, a memorandum of understanding with the Bosnian Ministry of Security is to introduce a complaints mechanism to ensure respect for migrants’ fundamental rights. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)