All News on Social Issues in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's Security Agency Gets Additional Funding over Migrant Crisis

The Bulgarian government has approved the allocation of BGN 0.5 M in additional funding to the State Agency for National Security (DANS) amid increased migratory pressure coming from the border with Turkey.

Increasing Number of Migrants Crossing into Serbia from Bulgaria - B92

An increased number of migrants are crossing into Serbia's Dimitrovgrad over the past three months, a Serbian media outlet says.

Its data suggests every day this border region is reached by 200 to 300 people crossing from Serbia's eastern neighbor.

Bulgaria to Extradite Suspect in Migrant Truck Deaths to Austria

A Bulgarian court has decided to extradite a Bulgarian national to Austria to face charges of people trafficking and causing the death of 71 illegal migrants.

Border Police Detains 35 Illegal Migrants in 24 Hours

Bulgarian Border Police said on Tuesday they have prevented 310 attempts of illegal migrants to cross from Turkey over the past 24 hours.

Another 29 foreign nationals have been detained while trying to sneak into Serbia. Eighteen of them were apprehended south of Kalotina border checkpoint. None of them carried identity documents.

24 Syrians found in two-room basement in Edirne

Some 24 Syrian migrants including children and women have been found by police in a two-room slum in Turkey's northwestern province of Edirne bordering Bulgaria and Greece, living in harsh conditions in a basement flat.

Syrian migrants bidding to cross to Europe have been camping and waiting for 10 days in Edirne, but have been told by the authorities to leave the city.

Bulgaria Registers Triple Increase in Number of Iraqi Asylum-Seekers

Since the beginning of the year, more than 11 000 requests for temporary stay in Bulgaria have been submitted, which represents nearly a double increase compared to 2014.

This was announced by the chairperson of the State Agency for Refugees (DAB), Nikola Kazakov, in an interview for private bTV station on Tuesday.

Bulgaria's Refugee Agency Reports Spike in Migratory Pressure in 2015

Bulgaria's State Agency for Refugees (SAR) has informed about a sudden spike in migratory pressure on the country in 2015.

Speaking at a conference organized by MEP Svetoslav Malinov, SAR Chair Nikola Kazakov said that a total of 11 742 people had applied for protection in Bulgaria by September 23, 2015, compared to a total of 1025 in 2010.

Bulgaria's President, Turkey's PM Discuss Gas Link

Migrants, gas interconnections and road infrastructure projects have topped the agenda at a meeting between Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu, the head of state's press office has said.

The two leaders met at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly that is being held in New York.

Bulgaria's President to Meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, who is on a working visit to the US to take part in the UN General Assembly session, will make a statement at the summit for the adoption of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

On Sunday, Plevneliev will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters.

Bulgaria Migrant Accommodation Centers 'Half Empty'

Beds in accommodation centers for asylum seekers in Bulgaria are only 49 percent full, authorities say.

Data from the State Refugee Agency (DAB) comes against the backdrop of reports of increased migratory pressure at the southeastern border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

Bulgaria Cannot Be Forced into Building Migrant Hotspot - Deputy PM

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva has said no member state could be imposed to set up a migrant hotspot.

Kuneva has told the Bulgarian National Television's Friday weekly program Panorama that hotspots are "an opportunity to show solidarity" - points where Frontex officials will be additonally deployed to help process migrants' personal data and asylum requests.