Bulgaria does not accept additional conditions related to refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said for BNR regarding the return of migrants to Bulgaria under European regulations and the country’s accession to the Schengen area by air and sea.

"Our country's commitment concerns obligations under the Dublin Regulation – responsibilities of the member state of first entry", Minister Stoyanov clarified. In his words, Bulgaria will not and cannot accept persons for whom it is not responsible. "There is absolutely no room for concern. Everything is within the usual admission for the last few years", Kalin Stoyanov said.

According to Kalin Stoyanov, last year the Ministry of Interior did a positive job regarding illegal migration and the situation on the Bulgaria-Turkiye border has been extremely calm in recent months. He expects that by the end of 2024 the country will get a date for the removal of land border controls. 

• Council of the EU agrees to remove air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania