site.btaInstitutions to Inform Cabinet about Migrant-Related Problems after Meeting with Sofia City Regional Governor

Participants in a meeting on a possible migrant crisis triggered by the Middle East conflicts will inform the Cabinet of migrant-related problems. The meeting was initiated by Sofia City Regional Governor Stefan Arsov, the Regional Administration said.

Participating were the Sofia City Regional Administration, the State Agency for Refugees, the Interior Ministry's Migration Directorate, the State Agency for Child Protection, Sofia's Regional Health Inspectorate and Social Assistance Directorate, and the Border Police General Directorate. City Hall did not send a representative.

The takeaway from the discussion is that refugees cannot be identified by name, age and origin due to the lack of IDs, refugee service centres have exhausted their capacity, and the integration of unaccompanied minors has run into difficulties. The main problem identified at the meeting is that illegal migrants cannot be returned to Syria and Afghanistan due to the lack of an agreement between Bulgaria and those countries.

It also emerged that under public pressure, borough administrations of Sofia Municipality had withdrawn their support for projects for residential care for unaccompanied refugee children. They cited a lack of adequate premises and of public consultation. One of the boroughs said there were conflicts among refugees from different ethnic groups and there was no video surveillance around refugee camps.

On Tuesday, the Vitosha Borough withdraw its support for a project for residential care for unaccompanied refugee children from vulnerable groups. Later that day, the Oborishte Borough backed down from a similar project.

Earlier in October, people in Sofia's Knyazhevo neighbourhood protested against a decision of the Sofia Municipal Council to open a centre for unaccompanied refugee children. In a Facebook post, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev asked how providing shelter and protection to 20 children posed an imminent threat to Sofia.