EU helps Bulgaria and Romania to protect borders against migrants
The European Commission has announced two pilot projects with Romania and Bulgaria aimed at stopping irregular migration at the EU's external borders.
The European Commission has announced two pilot projects with Romania and Bulgaria aimed at stopping irregular migration at the EU's external borders.
Bulgarian prosecutors have charged five people with human trafficking after 18 Afghans were found dead inside a truck on a dirt road in Bulgaria last Friday. Separately, 43 migrants were discovered in a van on Monday in western Bulgaria.
The truck, which was carrying timber, had hidden close to 40 migrants from Afghanistan. Four Bulgarian suspects have been arrested.
The EU has managed to decide on a series of new policies aimed at curbing irregular migration. However, the impact of those policies is likely going to be limited, with the focus on economic migration rather than addressing the root causes of migration.
Bulgaria has again faced accusations that its border authorities have subjected migrants to beatings, humiliation and racist language. Bulgarian authorities have denied the allegations.
Ursula von der Leyen has called on EU member states and partner nations to strengthen solidarity and coordination in their fight against irregular migration. She also urged countries to increase the number of repatriations of irregular migrants, and to step up their border management capabilities – particularly at the Turkish-Bulgarian border.
A European Commission spokesperson will not finance the construction of border walls to keep people out, including the wall being built between Bulgaria and Turkey.
Austria's chancellor has said he would lobby the European Union for €2 billion in funding for Bulgaria to strengthen its border with Turkey. Despite pushback, Bulgaria's president says he's hopeful his country would join the Schengen group of countries in the foreseeable future.
Bulgaria has detained 70 people suspected of having entered the country as migrants using irregular means. Some had to be rushed to hospital having suffered exhaustion, according to regional police forces.
Croatia will join the unrestricted movement arrangement from January 1. However, an EU official confirmed the bids from Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen Area have been blocked.
A new European investigative journalism report alleges that migrants are being "abitrarily detained and tortured at secret facilities along EU borders before being illegally forced back across [those] borders."
The Balkan nation has rejected accusations that its border guards shot a Syrian refugee in October. A video released showed a man being shot on Bulgaria's border with Turkey.