Illegal Emigrants Receive Fake Documents in Bulgaria - Report

"Some claim to come as tourists or to visit their family, as is the case of many Turks from Bulgaria." Photo by telegraph.co.uk

Illegal Turkish migrants entering Hungary allegedly receive illegal identity documents in Bulgaria according to a Business Week report.

Ion Handra, chief of the border police in Arad, Romania, stated that the most common route for (illegal)Turks is via Bulgaria, where they receive fake documents, Business Week reported.

Tough economic times are prompting more immigrants to enter Hungary illegally from Romania in search of work throughout Europe, the report continued.

They cited one illegal immigrant Kadir S. who is free while awaiting trial on charges of crossing the border using fraudulent documents, which he says he received in Bulgaria. "I sincerely say to you that I don't know the person who gave me the documents because another person introduced me to him. I paid 500 euros, money I got from my brothers in Germany," he said.

Kadir is one of about 800 people caught in the first half of this year trying to cross from Romania into Hungary.

According to data from the Romanian Border Police, in 2007 border guards caught 1 164 people trying to enter Hungary illegally. Last year, the number was 1 628. This year looks set to match or exceed that.

"Some claim to come as tourists or to visit their family, as is the case of many Turks from Bulgaria," the article concluded.