EU appoints new Heads of Mission for EUPOL COPPS and EUBAM RAFAH

Today the Council appointed new Heads of Mission for the European Union Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories (EUPOL COPPS) and the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah).

Nataliya Apostolova was appointed Head of Mission of EUPOL COPPS and will hold the position until 30 June 2021. Nataliya Apostolova is an experienced Bulgarian diplomat who has served for over 25 years in her national diplomatic administration and in the European External Action Service. From 2010 until now she has held senior posts in Egypt - as deputy Head of the EU delegation in Cairo -, in Libya - as Ambassador/Head of the EU delegation in Tripoli -, and in Kosovo - as EU Special Representative/Head of the Office of the EU in Pristina.

Colonel Mihai-Florin Bulgariu was appointed Head of Mission of EUBAM Rafah and will also hold the position until 30 June 2021. Mr. Bulgariu is a high-ranking Romanian police officer with more than 25 years of professional experience. His field of expertise is conducting border operations at both operational and strategic level. He is currently the Head of Operations - Integrated Border Management Expert at EUBAM Rafah.

Today's decision was taken by the Political and Security Committee.

EUPOL COPPS was established on 1 January 2006. It is tasked with contributing to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to establish effective and sustainable policing and rule of law arrangements, in cooperation with the other institution-building programmes.

EUBAM Rafah was launched on 25 November 2005 following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, in order to provide a third-party presence at the Rafah Crossing Point between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, the mission has contributed to strengthening the Palestinian Authority’s border capacities by supporting capacity-building in the Palestinian General Administration for Borders and Crossings (GABC).