Pastrogor

The first refugee center of restricted type is ready and will become operational once it is furnished. This is the transit center in the village of Pastrogor. Turning it into a prison where only people who have committed a violation of the internal order will cost nearly BGN 2 million, bTV said. Its capacity is 300 people but is currently empty.

The procedure for the voluntary repatriation of 50 Afghanis who have arrived in Bulgaria illegally has been launched.

Another 200 will also be repatriated after their documents have been processed.

This was decided at a meeting with outgoing PM Boyko Borisov.

At present, Bulgaria houses 955 foreigners at temporary centres for accommodation run by the State Agency for Refugees (DAB).

This was stated on Tuesday by Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova in a response to a question of MP from the ruling coalition.

Vasil Varbanov, Deputy Chair of Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees, has cautioned about a new wave of refugees.

In a Monday interview for the Bulgarian National Television, Varbanov noted that the Agency had received a total of 726 applications for protection in the first 20 days of August, compared to a total of 320 applications in March and 311 in July.