Ministry of Interior

Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area by land will not result in the country becoming a migrant buffer, Acting Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov stated during a briefing following the EU Council's final decision. Ilkov described the event as a historic achievement for Bulgaria, marking December 12, 2024, as a significant date for Bulgarian citizens, businesses, and institutions.

Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov expressed immense pride and emotion as Bulgaria was officially accepted as a full member of the Schengen Area, with land border controls set to be abolished starting January 1, 2025.

A significant arsenal of illegal weapons and ammunition was uncovered in Bulgaria during a specialized operation led by the Directorate for the Prevention of Organized Crime and the Counterterrorism Department (GDBOP). This discovery marks the largest such find in the country's history, according to the Ministry of Interior.

The Ministry of Interior announced an increase in security measures ahead of the upcoming holiday season, focusing on the student celebrations on December 8, as well as the Christmas and New Year holidays. Law enforcement presence will be heightened in shopping centers and Christmas markets to deter serious criminal activity and ensure public safety.

Following Bulgaria's entry into the Schengen area's land borders, border checkpoints will remain operational, but movement across borders will become more streamlined, according to the Ministry of Interior.

In 26% of the reported cases of vote-buying, individuals affiliated with political parties have been implicated, according to Atanas Ilkov, the Acting Interior Minister of Bulgaria. Ilkov addressed the media during a briefing regarding the Ministry of Interior's report on the recent elections.

Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev stated at the beginning of today's government meeting, the last before the early parliamentary elections on Sunday, October 27, that it is high time for the ongoing series "Election Game," which has been running for several years, to come to an end. "We all want a regular, stable government that can address the concerns of Bulgarian citizens," he emphasized.

Atanas Ilkov, Bulgaria's Acting Minister of Internal Affairs, announced that there are currently no indications from Bulgarian or partner agencies of terrorist threats or a deterioration in the security environment due to the tensions in the Middle East.

The Main Directorate "Border Police" has announced a recruitment drive for 400 new employees. This is part of a larger effort to fill an additional 1,264 positions within the police force that have recently been approved.

Police officers with automatic rifles will once again be deployed in the center of Burgas. Anti-terrorism patrols from March 1st to March 4th will patrol areas with large gatherings of people, such as the city center, the railway station, and the two bus stations. Patrols will also be stationed at the outer perimeters of major retail chains and malls.