On April 30 2008 the justice and interior ministers and deputy ministers from states belonging to the South-East European Co-operation Process (SEECP) met in Sofia to discuss challenges facing police and legal co-operation in criminal matters as well as extradition and European arrest warrants.

“Bulgaria will continue being a stability factor. As a European Union member state, our country is ready to share its experience with other countries in the region,” Bulgarian Justice Minister Miglena Tacheva said during the meeting, as quoted by Bulgarian news agency BTA, Dnevnik daily reported.

“We need to address the fight against organised crime and find effective ways to achieve our goals,” she also said.

“Bulgaria's Interior Ministry has already proven its readiness to stand up for EU's principles for freedom and security,” newly appointed Bulgarian Interior Minister Mihail Mikov said during SEECP's meeting.

Freedom becomes meaningless if people cannot live in an untroubled and secure country. We declare our strong determination to achieve better international co-operation, Mikov added.

The SEECP was launched in 1996 on Bulgaria’s initiative to enhance regional co-operation.

Bulgaria currently holds the chairmanship of the SEECP (since May 2007), a position it will hand over in May.