The primary tasks of this department, part of the political department, are:

• Following and analysing political developments in Bulgaria in the field of Justice and Home Affairs, with special attention for those topics identified as point of concern in the framework of the so-called ‘Cooperation and Verification Mechanism’ (CVM), established as the country joined the European Union. The focus is therefore on the efforts of the Bulgarian government to combat organised crime and corruption and the accompanying endeavour to enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.
• In addition, the department keeps an eye on the position of minorities, the freedom of speech, press and religious freedom, as well as threats to law and order, such as fraud, smuggling, trafficking in drugs and human beings, extremism and terrorism. In both their causes and consequences these phenomena are transnational in nature affecting the Netherlands directly. After all, Bulgaria's border is a part of the new EU external border.
• Furthermore, the department keeps an eye on cooperation in the field of asylum and migration, as well as the operational police cooperation between Bulgaria and the Netherlands. This To this effect, the department keeps close contact with the relevant ministries in The Hague, as well as the Liaison Officer of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service residing in Istanbul and the Police Liaison Officer residing in Bucharest.
  

Links:
Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of the Netherlands  www.minjus.nl
Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations  www.minbzk.nl
Netherlands Immigration and Naturalisation Service  www.ind.nl
Netherlands National Police Services Agency  www.politie.nl/KLPD
Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria  www.mvr.bg
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria  www.mjeli.government.bg
Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees  aref.government.bg