site.btaInterior Ministry Experts Say Conflict in Ukraine Is Threat to Military, Political Stability, Economic Development of Countries in Black Sea Region

Interior Ministry Experts Say Conflict in Ukraine Is Threat to Military, Political Stability, Economic Development of  Countries in Black Sea Region

Sofia, August 18 (BTA) - Principal sources of external risks and
 threats to the national security of Bulgaria are the ongoing
conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the crisis
situation in Macedonia, experts from the Interior Ministry said,
 approached for comment by BTA.

Interior Ministry analyses show that the relations between the
countries of the Euro-Atlantic community and Russia are
gradually turning from temporary crises into long-term
opposition. The conflict in Ukraine has become a threat for both
 the military and political stability and socio-economic
development of the countries in the Black Sea region, and also
for the overall structure of the European security architecture.
 

The inter-ethnic opposition remains one of the main risk factors
 for the security in the region of the Western Balkans.

The strong intra-party opposition and the acts of Albanian
extremists in Macedonia have resulted in a crisis which could
potentially threaten the overall stability in the region of the
Balkans. The ongoing crisis in the relations of Greece and its
international lenders creates additional economic insecurity in
the region.

Terrorism remains to be the chief threat to international and
national security.

The ever-growing number of foreign migrants staying in Bulgaria
burdens considerably the social and healthcare system of this
country and creates additional difficulties in addressing
certain economic problems. The social and labour integration of
refugees is felt as one of the main problems that will be hard
to solve, the Interior Ministry experts say.

The heavy migration burden worsens the criminal situation in
Bulgaria and  activates the rings for trafficking in people
closely connected with organized crime groups. At the same time,
 devoting considerable human resources to guard the state
borders diminishes the security system inside the country and
reduces the capacity to counteract crime.

Interior Ministry data show that a total of 4,477 aliens were
detained at the Bulgarian border in the first half of 2015,
which is twice as many compared to the like period in 2014.

In 94 per cent of the cases, the detainees were intercepted at
the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Nationals of Syria account for 53
per cent of the detainees, nationals of Afghanistan, 24 per
cent, and of Iraq, 17 per cent.

A total of 3,624 migrants attempting to leave Bulgaria were
detained in the first half of the year, which is nearly four
times as many as in the like period a year ago. In 84 per cent
of the cases, the detentions occurred at the Bulgarian-Serbian
border.

In January-June 2015, 123 specialized police operations were
conducted to crack down on illegal aliens from third countries.
Twenty of the raids were performed in Sofia. The raids
discovered 3,319 illegal aliens, which is 6.5 times as many as
the like period in 2014. Nearly 75 per cent of the illegal
aliens were in Sofia and Sofia Region.

The special placement centres for migrants and the distribution
centre in Elhovo, Southern Bulgaria, are working at between
12-22 per cent above their maximum capacity. About 93 per cent
of the aliens accommodated in such facilities have applied for
shelter in Bulgaria.

A total of 451 migrants were taken out of Bulgaria in the first
half of the year, and 129 left voluntarily. In close cooperation
 with the International Organization for Migration, the Interior
 Ministry is working hard to encourage and aid migrants in
opting for voluntary return in their countries of origin.