Adrian-Ioan Veștea, the Minister of Development, Public Works, and Administration, and Police Commissioner Tiberiu Gim Giurea, Chief Inspector of the Territorial Inspectorate of Border Police Timișoara, have today signed the financing contract for the strategic importance project “SAFE” – A Safer Climate in the Romanian-Serbian Border Area, funded through the Interreg IPA Romania – Serbia 2021-2027 Programme.

“By financing this project, we will significantly contribute to developing a cooperation framework between the two states, aiming to reduce cross-border crime and illegal migration while also strengthening security and protecting supply chains,” stated the Minister of Development.

The project, worth 13.8 million euros, will enhance the institutional capacity of the authorities involved in border management and improve safety and security in the border area.

The need for financing such actions arises from the specific nature of the Programme’s area, where the length of the border within the Programme’s coverage is 548 km, representing 2% of the entire external land border of the European Union. Along this border are eight road crossing points, three port crossing points, two railway crossing points, and one river crossing point (by ferry), which annually facilitate the passage of over 2.5 million individuals and 1.2 million freight vehicles.

Minister Veștea announced that in the coming period, two more strategic importance projects and two large infrastructure projects will be contracted, with a total budget of 24 million euros. These projects hold particular significance due to the activities to be implemented in the border area, including emergency management and ensuring high-quality medical services within the Programme’s area.

Today’s event brought together representatives from the Ministry of European Integration and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia, as well as diplomatic corps accredited in Bucharest.