Bulgaria's Deputy Interior Minister Calls Border-Closure Plans Unthinkable

Bulgaria's Deputy Interior Minister Vasil Marinov stated that closing the border with Turkey is unthinkable.

Debates on the issue have been growing over the past days after Defense Minister Angel Naydenov suggested on Sunday that Bulgaria may consider closing its south-eastern border to prevent an escalation of the refugee crisis from Syria.

On Tuesday, Naydenov issued a statement that his words were misinterpreted and closing the border has only been proposed as an extreme measure, not for the immediate future.

“Closing the border would mean that nobody can pass through. Such a measure has not been discussed, and will not be. It is unthinkable”, said Marinov, cited by Focus agency.

Marinov also dispelled rumors that Syrian asylum seekers in Bulgaria were getting involved in criminal activities.

“There has been only one case so far, where a Syrian national stole BGN 20 from a girl and immediately turned himself in to the police. His goal had been to get arrested, in order to receive shelter and food”, added the Deputy Minister.

According to the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, Bulgaria has the capacity to accommodate up to 1 000 more refugees.

Last week, MPs of the ultra-nationalist Ataka party introduced a motion in Parliament for closing the border with Turkey for incoming refugees.

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