EU's Border and Coast Guard 'to Be Launched from Bulgaria'

Bulgaria will be the first country to host the European Border and Coasr Guard in October, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced on Saturday. At an event in the city of Ruse, northeastern Bulgaria, he argued Bulgaria had been chosen for its "best performance" in border protection - compared to "Greece, Italy [and] Finland," other member states having an external EU border - in light of the inflow of migrants.  "Maybe [EU Council President] Donald Tusk will also come after [his visit to the United] States will surely come" to see the guard service up and running, he added. There was no immediate confirmation from a EU institution or official. In July, the EU approved the establishment of the EBCG, built on the foundations laid by the external border agency FRONTEX. The Commission said earlier this week, following a formal approval from the EU Council, that the main role of the new service would be to "help provide integrated border management at the external borders." "It will ensure the effective management of migration flows and provide a high level of security for the EU." The EBCG, consisting of some 1500 border guards, will be made up of FRONTEX (with expanded tasks) and "those national authorities responsible for border management".