site.btaMigration Pressure at Bulgaria's Borders Down by Over 80% in 2017

Sofia, March 29 (BTA) - The migration pressure on Bulgaria's borders dropped by over 80 per cent in 2017, shows the annual report of the Border Police Chief Directorate of the Interior Ministry, the ministry said in a press release Thursday.

Despite this downward trend, the situation at the state borders continues to be dynamic in terms of illegal migration as a result of the political instability and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and Africa, the report reads.

In 2017, there were 8,044 attempts of third country nationals to cross into Bulgaria at the border, which is a drop by 81 per cent (42,466 persons) compared to 2016. Border police officers detained 743 illegal migrants, which is a decrease by 84 per cent from a year earlier.

A total of 501 persons were detained for attempting to cross illegally into Bulgaria outside of the border control area, and 242 third country nationals were detained at the border control checkpoints. Most of the illegal migrants were from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan and other countries. A total of 651 persons were detained at the border with Turkey.

In 2017, the border police detained 2,413 third country nationals for attempting to leave Bulgaria illegally, down by 83 per cent from 2016. The highest number of such attempts was registered at the border with Serbia, 2,017. A total of 1,171 wanted persons and 148 wanted vehicles were detained at the border control checkpoints.

Last year, 109 pretrial proceedings for migrant smuggling were launched.

Border police officers found and seized 423 kg of heroin, 17,591 kg of cannabis, 367 kg of marijuana, and 102 kg of synthetic drugs.

In implementation of Bulgaria's commitments, last year the Border Police Chief Directorate hosted joint operations with Frontex in which 1,556 guest officers were deployed at this country's borders, which is by 27 per cent more than in 2016, the report reads.