Partial state of emergency at the border due to migrant pressure, Ministry of Interior with new anti-trafficking measures

Evidence has been gathered that Ministry of Interior officers have been involved in migrant trafficking, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev after an inspection of the forest roads in the area of Malko Tarnovo, district of Bourgas, border with Turkey. There will be reshuffles related to relocation of officers to ensure better border protection.

Forest roads in the Strandzha region are difficult to pass and hinder Border Police checks as they often damage vehicles, Demerdzhiev said. The routes will be repaired as soon as possible, and to speed up the process and to secure it legally, a partial state of emergencyr has been declared in places in the regions of Bourgas, Haskovo and Yambol.

"Most often they cross the border with ladders, which they use to jump over the fence. We have more active assistance from the Turkish side, so also after the meetings I had with the Turkish Minister of Interior and the Greek Minister of Interior, there is much better coordination and mutual assistance. We are deterring them already at the border facility," Ivan Demerdzhiev said.

Joint patrol teams of the Ministry of Interior and the Forestry started patrolling in Strandzha. The aim is to increase control of border security and prevent illegal migrants from entering the country's interior, as well as to counter poaching and illegal logging.