Border Police responded to accusations related to the deaths of migrants in Strandzha

The "Border Police" on January 9 provided a written response to questions from BNT regarding the recent case of migrants found dead in Strandzha. They stated that they responded promptly to all alerts, but some of them turned out to be inaccurate.

The Border Police rejected accusations made by a French volunteer of rude and inhumane treatment and in turn accused foreign nationals, under the direction of the "Mission Wings" Foundation, of obstructing their work.

The case of the three dead boys from Egypt found in Strandzha was brought to light by the "Mission Wings" Foundation. Volunteers accused authorities of slow and inadequate action in response to emergency calls regarding the distressed migrants, who were still alive.

Diana Dimova, chairperson of the foundation, explained that six alerts were sent to the 112 emergency number over several hours for the first case. Despite confirmation that the reports were forwarded to the border patrols, no assistance was provided.

The Border Police replied today that on the night of 27 December, three 112 signals were received from "Mission Wings" with exact coordinates in different forested areas. Teams were immediately dispatched to check but no distressed or deceased persons were found at those locations, the Border Police said.

• Ministry of Interior: The migrants found dead in Strandzha died from exhaustion

New alerts with different coordinates were received in the days following, and on December 29, three bodies were discovered—identified by the police as men, though the foundation claims they were children. The Border Police reiterated that they responded promptly but described the reports from December 27 as incorrect and misleading.

"The Border Police personnel responded promptly to all alerts, but the reports received on 27 December 2024 contained false or misleading information. The bodies found on 28 and 29 December 2024 were located at different places from the coordinates provided in the reports from 27 December 2024," the statement said.

A French volunteer involved in the rescue efforts shared his experience, describing aggressive behaviour by border police officers.

"The day after we found the bodies, they physically threatened us. For example, they transported us in the trunk of their vehicle for half an hour to an hour, I’m not sure exactly. They also forced me to carry one of the bodies."

The "Border Police" denied these allegations, assuring that no inhumane or degrading treatment is tolerated. They emphasized that the use of physical force and auxiliary means is only applied in accordance with legal regulations. They also highlighted that foreign nationals, mainly directed by "Mission Wings," have repeatedly hindered the work of the border patrol. Despite multiple warnings, five fines were issued for failure to comply with police orders and for being near strategic national security sites without permission. A pre-trial investigation has also been launched for false calls for help.

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