State Refugee Agency

In the midst of heightened political rhetoric surrounding the upcoming European Parliament election, the Bulgarian government has taken to social media to combat what it describes as a disinformation campaign regarding migrants.

The centers for accommodation of asylum seekers, which are part of the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, were overcrowded at the end of April, but at the end of May, the occupancy rate was about 20%. This is shown by the data from the migration statistics of the Ministry of Interior from the website of the ministry.

Although the number of asylum seekers in Bulgaria has fallen drastically, by a factor of over 11, since the crisis peaked in 2015, most people entering the country and seeking asylum are treated as "irregular migrants" and are detained in closed centres.

These are the conclusions of a report compiled by the Sofia-based Foundation for Access to Rights, FAR, published on Monday.

As the migrant inflow into Europe has come to a seasonal low due to the tough winter conditions, Novinite has looked into official statistics about the past few years since the crisis began.

It is difficult to measure how many people crossed the country inadvertedly with the help of smugglers.

Twenty-six irregular migrants have been arrested on their way out of Bulgaria, border police say.

In Kula municipality in Western Bulgaria, 18 Afghan nationals tried to enter Serbia on Saturday evening. Four Iraqi and as many Pakistani nationals tried to take the same step in the areas of Banya village in Tran municipality and at the railway station of Dragoman, respectively.

Novinite is introducing Svetlana Belenets, a Ukrainian national seeking asylum in Bulgaria, and Carl Spate, a Briton who has been helping her along the way and who contacted us to tell their story.

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 authorities consider a flow of asylum seekers from neighboring Macedonia unlikely, State Refugee Agency (DAB) head Nikola Kazakov has said.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced Thursday his deputies would be in charge of ministries' oversight, instead of having only coordinative functions as previously stated.

The number of illegal immigrants, seeking shelter in Bulgaria grew exponentially in September, shows data of the State Refugee Agency, quoted by Dnevnik.bg.

Only in September 6776 people sought refugee status in Bulgaria. For comparison, the total number for the entire 2013 was 7100.