Protesters in Bulgaria’s Harmanli Demand Stricter Control in Refugee Camp

Domestic | September 4, 2016, Sunday // 13:08|  views

The refugee camp in Harmanli. File photo, BGNES.

A protest procession is taking place in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli on Sunday, with the participants demanding stricter control in the refugee camp located in the town.

The demonstration comes after last week’s mass fight between two groups of migrants, one from Iraq and the other from Afghanistan. Around 800 migrants were involved in the fight which was followed by clashes with police forces.

Around 200 protesters have gathered to demand the introduction of stricter curfew and call on the inhabitants of the camp to respect it.

Police presence in Harmanli was heightened and gendarmerie officials were deployed in the town ahead of the protest, which was organised by the constituent parties of the Patriotic Front and the nationalistic Ataka and supported by the largest opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP).

The organisers claim that the protest is not of political nature and along with members of the nationalistic parties, ordinary citizens are also taking part in it.

The protesters also demand turning the refugee camp in Harmanli into one of a closed type. Among the other demands are ban on melee weapons as well as heightened police presence to ensure order and safety in the town.

A stricter ban on drinking alcohol has been enforced in the camp, which is part of the new rules applicable in all refugee centres in the country following last week’s incident.

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Tags: Bulgaria, Harmanli, protest, refugee camp, fight, police, Iraq, Afghanistan, migrants

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