Bulgaria Is Better Prepared for Migrant Influx Than Others – EU Commissioner

EU Commissioner in charge of Budget and Human Resources, Bulgarian, Kristalina Georgieva waits for her speech during the plenary session at European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, 09 March 2016. Photo: EPA

Bulgaria is much more prepared than other countries to react in the event of a heightened migrant pressure on its borders.

This was stated by European Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva in an interview for private NOVA TV on Thursday.

Georgieva reminded that Bulgaria was the first country to experience the migrant influx as a problem.

The country did a lot on guarding the external borders of the EU and as a result is better prepared than other countries.

According to Georgieva, if the flow is redirected towards Bulgaria, the country is at a more advanced stage to react to such development.

She added that if the need arises, the country can make use of a new European financial instrument for humanitarian aid.

A total of EUR 300 M have been allocated to the instrument for this year, with EUR 200 M foreseen for next year and another EUR 200 M for 2018.

Georgieva noted that Bulgaria has been allocated EUR 91 M under the 2014-2020 programme and another EUR 10 M have been provided to the country in emergency aid.

The European Commission Vice-President said that it was important to bust human trafficking networks.

In her words, the problem did not emerge last year, but Europe paid attention to it only after it had been affected by it.

Georgieva pointed that the profits of human smugglers are rivaling those made by drug traffickers.

She refused to comment the official nomination of Irina Bokova as the Bulgarian candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Georgieva also did not comment whether she will run in the forthcoming presidential elections in Bulgaria in the autumn.

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