Interior ministry

Interior and defense ministers from 13 European countries have agreed to come up with new measures to ensure that the overland route from Greece remains shut for migrants seeking new lives in other EU nations.

Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka and Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil say the officials decided to draw up a plan by April for the so-called West Balkans route.

Prime Minister Ognyan Gerdzhikov will coordinate the activities of the Finance Minister and the Foreign Minister, as well as of the state agencies Intelligence and Electronic Management and the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad.

Serbian and Swedish officials signed an agreement on police cooperation in Stockholm on Tuesday, the Serbian government has announced.

The document was signed by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic and Swedish Minister for Home Affairs Anders Ygeman.

Morocco has banned the production and sale of burqa full-face Muslim veils, apparently for security reasons, media reports said Tuesday. “We have taken the step of completely banning the import, manufacture and marketing of this garment in all the cities and towns of the kingdom,” the Le360 news site quoted a high-ranking interior ministry official as saying.

Moroccan authorities have banned the production and sale of burkas due to security considerations.

The Interior Ministry has circulated a letter among its employees responsible for trade in towns ordering a ban on the sale of the Muslim garment which covers the entire body.

According to the Ministry, burkas are often used as a disguise by criminals.

Outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has called on the cabinet to make sure police forces are stationed in every village.

"The Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Finance must find the legal possibility for having a police officer in aevery village, or at least one police officer for two villages," daily 24 Chasa quotes Borisov as saying before a cabinet meeting.

Bulgaria's Interior Ministry has introduced "code yellow" for increased security measures during the holidays.

There will be enhanced security for maintaining order at public places. The main sites of increased police presence are malls, Sofia Airport and Sofia bus station.

The European Commission has approved 7.3 mln euros more for Serbia in aid for migration management.

The funds will go to the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Veteran and Social Affairs, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration and the Ministry of Interior.

Outgoing Prime Minister Boyko Borisov postponed the planned meeting with Viktor Orban in Hungary due to the escalation of the situation in the refugee camp in Harmanli, announced the Government information service.

More than 15,500 public personnel in Turkey have been dismissed from their posts with two new state of emergency decrees, the Official Gazette reported early on Nov. 22.