Bulgaria Ready to Deploy More Troops to Help Border Police Cope with Migrant Influx - Defence Chief

Chief of Defence Gen. Constantin Popov (front left) speaks to reporters after a meeting with Lt. Gen. Mark Schissler, Deputy Chairman, NATO Military Committee (R), Sofia, 13 August 2016. Photo: government.bg

Bulgaria is ready to deploy additional troops to help border police tackle an increased inflow of irregular migrants, the Chief of Defence General Constantin Popov has said.

The reinforcement would be proportionate to migration pressure, Popov told reporters after a meeting with Lieutenant General Mark Schissler, Deputy Chairman of NATO Military Committee in Sofia on Sunday.

Popov also said that almost 400 troops currently assist police to protect Bulgaria’s borders following the deployment of additional troops in July.

NATO cannot assist Bulgaria in protecting the country’s land borders against a refugee wave, this is not the mission of the Alliance, Gen. Popov said.

However, Bulgaria can request the same type of assistance rendered to Greece in case of increased inflow of migrants and refugees attempting to reach Bulgaria by sea, Gen. Popov added. He made clear that this was not the case at the moment.

 

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