site.btaMigrant Pressure Increases, Interior Ministry Takes Measures to Handle It - Minister

Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov said here Wednesday that migrant pressure is increasing and his Ministry is taking measures to handle it. "We have started to take some different and more serious measures in order to better counteract to migrant pressure," Rashkov said during a hearing by the parliamentary committee on internal security.

In the period from January 1 to April 13, the number of people who tried to enter Bulgaria was between two and a half to three times more than this time last year, the Minister said. The number of those who managed to sneak into Bulgaria has also increased.

"Without blaming Turkey, it seems that the control of their border is not at the level we would like it to be. After all, these are about 20,000 or more migrants trying to enter our country, and there are border authorities there," said Rashkov.

He added that the fence on Bulgaria's southern border is built in such a way and with such a material that it has to be repaired every day, in addition to being constantly destroyed by those trying to go through it.

The Minister explained that employees from several regional directorates have been sent to the southern border, in addition to those in the immediate vicinity such as employees of the gendarmerie, and in the coming days in the interior of the country - servicemen.