14.10.2024
No vulnerable points have been detected along the border fencing. Maintenance and repair teams make a daily tour of the fence and, wherever necessary, respond immediately to reinforce, inter alia, the specific sections. The conclusion was made in the course of the inspection of the fencing along the border between Bulgaria and Türkiye today by Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev together with Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Interior Minister Atanas Ilkov, Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Evtimov and the Director of Border Police General Directorate Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov. From the board of a helicopter they made an aerial inspection of the fencing; then they went around the border near Lessovo where they could see for themselves the advantages of the operation of the integrated video surveillance system. For the part of the border that is not covered by video surveillance yet, it is expected to conclude a procurement contract within ten days, the Director of Border Police Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov said.
Since the beginning of the year, the border police has intercepted over 44,000 attempts of migrants to enter Bulgaria illegally. With over 99% of the total migration pressure, the Bulgaria-Türkiye border continues to bear the heaviest migration burden. At the same time, owing to the measures taken by the Border Police General Directorate the migration pressure has gone down by 71% over the same period in 2023. A total of 2,062 individuals have been detained by the Bulgarian border authorities upon their illegal entry into Bulgaria. Nationals of Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq make up the greatest number. A total of 2,723 third-country nationals have been detained when they attempted to go out of Bulgaria illegally and this constitutes a 35% increase of detentions over the same period in 2023. The number of migrants detained inland has gone down by 67% owing to the measures taken.
The operation of all integrated surveillance systems of the Border Police General Directorate is currently funded by EU funds with over BGN 11 million absorbed so far. The installation of two new systems is planned to start in early 2025: EU funding has been secured for the one and national funding has been secured for the other. The two new systems will cover sections along the Bulgaria-Türkiye border that are now exposed. The required surveillance equipment and mobile infrastructure have been provided. Vehicles have been bought for the needs of border control and the spending amounts to BGN 27 million.
There is no understaffing in the Border Police, Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov said firmly as he refuted claims made in public and reporting lack of enthusiasm to join the service. For the additional 1264 fulltime civil service positions within the Ministry of Interior, eight competitive recruitment procedures are underway for 400 vacant jobs. A total of 2,477 applications have been submitted for consideration. This will, to a large extent, ensure the staffing needed for the Border Police General Directorate.
To ensure the maintenance of the border barriers, the adjoining road and the integrated surveillance systems, the amount of the funding requested is BGN 47,705,000. Additional funding of at least BGN 60 million is needed for the maintenance of the integrated systems, for new hand-held and mobile thermal imaging surveillance devices, for 15 new mobile surveillance systems equipped with new-generation gear and for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
