Bargaining closed on Friday, four days ago. Brussels and Ankara agreed to give green light to trading in migrants. Bulgaria being a EU member country is part of the deal. Observers have termed this bargaining cynical, and they might not be far from the truth. One thing is certain though and it is that in the aftermath of 18 March the European Union is no longer the same.

What exactly is the deal concluded between European Council President Donald Tusk and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu? In the first place, starting yesterday, Greece has the right to send illegal migrants arriving to its islands back to Turkey. For each of them the European Union will receive one legal refugee from Turkey, but to a maximum number of 72,000. The legal refugees will be distributed across EU member states. Under the second point of the deal the EU shall pay 3 billion euro to Turkey, formally for servicing migrants accommodated in camps in Turkish territory. When this amount is spent, EU undertakes to prepare for further payment of 3 billion euro by end-2018. Thirdly, Chapter 33 in Turkey's EU accession negotiations, which is about the budget, shall be opened in April and by end-June Turkish nationals shall be able to travel visa-free across the European Union.

Ankara is well aware that with the current state of its home affairs it has drifted away from EU accession criteria. The opening of an accession negotiations' chapter after the French veto means nothing. Ankara is also aware that for lifting visas it should comply with 35 criteria, and this requires both time and good will. Returning illegal migrants from Greek islands to Turkey is not a problem. With a document that takes hours to issue every illegal migrant can become a legal one and be sent officially to EU.

So, at the end of the day what matters most is money. Ankara got what it wanted - 6 billion euro from European taxpayers in exchange for 2.7 million refugees accommodated in Turkish territory. However, Brussels should not cherish the illusion that payment ends with this 6 billion. The camps there have already become business. They are a factory that produces threats - because any moment Turkey can let migrants to West Europe. So sooner or later this product should bring profit.

At the second round of bargaining with Turkey in Brussels Bulgaria was represented by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Following the first round on 7 March Borissov mailed a letter to Brussels to demand sending back illegal migrants not only from Greek islands but also from Bulgaria's border with Turkey. This demand has actually not become part of the deal but Borissov did not place a veto on it. As a compensation the sides agreed that Turkey should prevent the emergence of new migration routes via Bulgaria. After Tusk and Davutoglu shook hands the Bulgarian prime minister left the meeting without making statements for the press.

For the time being, Sofia's contribution into the new “trading” in migrants looks modest against the backdrop of billions of euro. It shall pay only 5.9 million. According to predictions though this amount is likely to triple in the coming couple of years. Under the relocation quota principle Bulgaria has to accept 1200 refugees from the negotiated 72,000. As to Turkey's vow not to allow migrants at the border with Bulgaria, Sofia has confirmed that the army and border police remain there because as Boyko Borissov himself said processes on the border are not controllable.

In the aftermath of 18 March 2016 the European Union has become more fragile and more vulnerable. It has given up values fostered for years. Brussels was a moral leader, but today it is doing business in the temple with those who abuse basic human rights in their own country.

English Daniela Konstantinova