site.btaPrime Minister Borissov Describes Bulgaria as One of Calm EU Countries in Terms of Migration

Prime Minister Borissov
Describes Bulgaria as One of Calm
EU Countries in Terms of Migration


Brussels, March 7 (BTA Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Speaking to Bulgarian journalists here Monday, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that Bulgaria is currently among the calm countries in terms of migration. In his words, the migration pressure on the Bulgarian border is already insignificant because the installations are becoming ever bigger.

Borissov is in Brussels for a meeting of the EU heads of state or government with Turkey and an extraordinary European Council meeting.

Borissov noted that the migration pressure on the Bulgarian border was only 17 persons on Sunday night. In his words, the flows of migrants themselves know that Bulgaria guards its border well, and they are looking for the fence that is easiest to breach.

Asked whether there is a risk of the migrant flows heading to Bulgaria after the closure of the Balkan route, Borissov said that trainings have been conducted and installations have been set up at the border with this risk in mind. He was referring to the "Border 2016" joint training of the Interior Ministry and the Armed Forces, as well as the Border Police, the Gendarmerie, and the Air Force to maintain readiness for reacting to an increased migration pressure, which was conducted on March 5 near the Kulata-Promachonas checkpoint on the border with Greece. "There is a paradox here - we protect Schengen borders after the Schengen model, but we are not in Schengen - and I hope that this year this paradox will be brought to an end," Borissov said.

"New routes will probably be opened - there is one through Finland and Norway, through everywhere. We did not build a fence with Greece, as the Visegrad Four proposed, because we have always claimed that the Greeks should receive assistance. At present we can be calm as a nation but at the same time we should be extremely vigilant, this is why we have placed enough installations and equipment which can cover the territories in depth and which would, should a wave come, allow us to stop it preventively," the Prime Minister explained.

Borissov specified that they rely on mobile thermal cameras and the possible provision of additional equipment by the UK and other countries. In his words, he has talked with European Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva for the provision of finances, if necessary, but he has not yet pressured for funding because Bulgaria proves it can protect a Schengen border.

The Government's position is that all external borders should be closed so that only the official checkpoints be used, the PM said. "I hope that today [Monday] this will be finalized, that Turkey will fulfill its commitments for the money it will receive, that Greece will fulfill its commitment. The NATO ships are already in the territorial waters between Turkey and Greece" Borissov noted.

VI/DS
/ДЛ/