site.btaMigrant Pressure Down on Bulgaria-Turkiye Border

Commenting on the migrant pressure on Bulgaria’s borders, Border Police Director Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov told bTV that the measures to seal the first line of the border with Turkiye this year are bearing fruit.

He added that in 2023 the patrols on the border with Turkiye have been increased by 30%. “We have greatly improved communication with the Turkish authorities. They are conducting an operation on the other side of the border and now our actions are coordinated. As a consequence, we have achieved a greater than expected effect," Zlatanov added.

In his words, 80-90% of migrants are stopped at the border. 

This has been a record year for migrant pressure, some 50% higher than in 2022, and the trend has been constant. This year alone, there have been more than 150,000 crossing attempts prevented by the Border Police, the Chief Commissioner said. 

Naturally, some percentage of them manage to overcome both the fence and the border guards. They get detained inside the country or when they try to leave.