site.btaImmigration Pressure at Southern Border Up about 3.6 Times

Lessovo checkpoint, August 22 (BTA) - The immigration pressure at Bulgaria's southern border has increased about 3.6 times compared to last year and keeps on increasing, Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Svetlozar Lazarov told journalists on Friday. Since the beginning of 2014, over 10,800 people have not been admitted to Bulgarian territory, while 2,700 people managed to cross the border. Lazarov and Border Police Director Zaharin
Penov inspected the souther border in the region of Elhovo.

"All predications of Bulgarian and partner special services show that the immigration flows in the region will increase. If the efficiency of border control drops, this will result in uncontrolled movement of people, opposition and clashes in the country," said Lazarov.

According to him, the 131-km fence built at the Bulgarian-Turkish border should be extended. On the one hand,
this will considerably reduce the police forces involved in border control and, on the other, it will save state funds.

Asked about the efficiency of the border fence, Penov quoted figures that 3,160 people were detained at the fence on October 2013, while in August 2014 their number was only 38. Penov also said that there are 12 people at the centres for accommodation of foreign nationals served with orders for extradition.