Bulgaria will not close its borders to refugees: Deputy PM

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Rumiana Bachvarova said on Thursday her country does not intend to close its borders to refugees, after meeting with European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos.

"We do not intend to change the regime of our borders," Bachvarova told a joint press conference while answering a question about possible closure of the country's borders.

In practice, Bulgaria is performing 100-percent control of its borders with Turkey and Greece, and this is probably "the most strict control carried out by any European country," said Bachvarova, who is also the country's minister of the interior.

Moreover, Bulgaria does not just control those entering the country, but also conducts additional interviews, she said.

Meanwhile, her ministry arrests illegal immigrants inside the country and near the border with Serbia, Bachvarova added.

Commenting on her meeting with Avramopoulos, Bachvarova said they agreed that common European solutions were needed because regional solutions have not led to the desired result.

In turn, Avramopoulos said Bulgaria is in a strategic position, neighbouring with Turkey and Serbia, and the country bears a big responsibility for protecting the external borders of the European Union.

According to data from the Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees, 59,883 foreigners sought asylum in Bulgaria since 1993. Among them, 11,081 applied in 2014, and 20,391 in 2015. Endit