International law

EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson conducted an inspection of border control measures at Sofia Airport, marking a significant step in Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area by air. Accompanied by Bulgaria's caretaker Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov, Commissioner Johansson observed the revamped procedures implemented after Bulgaria's Schengen accession.

Under an overcast sky on the Greek island of Lesvos, Afghan asylum-seeker Safika placed a red rose on the grave of a refugee who died trying to reach Europe. The tombstone read "unknown."

European Parliament has greenlit a comprehensive overhaul of the EU's asylum and migration policies, marking a significant shift in how the bloc manages its borders and addresses the influx of migrants and asylum seekers. The approved reforms, part of the new Asylum and Migration Pact, promise to bring about substantial changes starting from 2026 if ratified.

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The Personal Data Protection Authority has imposed a 175,000-euro fine on the Migration and Asylum Ministry for the development and installation of the Hyperion and Centaur biometric control and surveillance systems at the reception centers for asylum seekers on islands of the Aegean.

Frontex and "Border police" have launched a joint operation aimed at tripling the number of EU border guards along the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

Austria has returned 76 migrants to Bulgaria by the end of February 2024, in adherence to the Dublin Agreement. The repatriated individuals comprise primarily Syrian and Afghan citizens, as reported by BTA. Meanwhile, Austria observes a decline in asylum applications, with the number steadily decreasing, according to APA.

A 17-year-old teenager involved in a fatal accident has been smuggled to America by his mother, a known writer, following the car crash that claimed one life and left several others injured.

The police's Anti-Terrorism Division launched a crackdown on Tuesday against urban guerrilla groups operating in different parts of the Greek capital, including, reportedly, from two prisons.

The influx of Russian asylum seekers into South Korea has skyrocketed, with authorities reporting an unprecedented surge in applications last year, according to CNN.

The Korean Immigration Service revealed a staggering fivefold increase in Russian nationals seeking asylum in South Korea in 2023, totaling 5,750 applicants, a stark rise from the 1,038 applicants recorded in 2022.

Fifty foreign nationals - 40 Pakistanis and 10 Georgians - will be returned to their country of origin after their asylum requests were rejected, Greece's Migration Ministry announced on Wednesday.

The requests that were examined had been submitted in the last 48 hours at the Amygdaleza predeparture centre.