Kristian Vigenin became part of the European Parliament group for oversight of Europol

The head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the EP Kristian Vigenin was elected a member of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group, which monitors the work of Europol and the agency’s cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.

After his election the MEP said: „I am proud to be part of this group. I believe I can be active and useful in establishing justice and security for European citizens while their rights are observed. Europe and Bulgaria face great challenges, and the institutions bear an enormous responsibility to ensure the prevention and detection of crimes and threats.“

Europol’s role and oversight of the agency

Europol is responsible for helping the EU member states to prevent and combat serious international crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, cybercrime and human trafficking. The agency gathers intelligence, carries out analysis and coordinates operations to tackle criminal threats. It ensures security across the EU while observing human rights standards.

The Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group for Europol provides political oversight of the agency. The aim is to have control over its work, especially as regards civil rights and ensuring transparency. The group debates topics such as data protection, cross-border crime and the balance between security and civil liberties.

Kristian Vigenin recalled that the group’s work is also directly linked to the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2018, when its second meeting was held in Sofia and the rules for its work were adopted. As chair of the Committee on European Affairs at the time, he worked actively on the parliamentary dimension of the presidency.

To contact the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the EP: https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/