Sharp Decline in Illegal Border Crossings into Bulgaria in Early 2025, Interior Ministry Reports

According to a report by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior, 1,145 third-country nationals attempted to enter the country illegally in March 2025. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 2,688 such attempts have been recorded—a 60% decrease compared to the 6,713 attempts during the same period in 2024.

In March alone, authorities detained 220 migrants, with 146 apprehended at the borders and 74 detained inland.

The number of third-country nationals returned for illegally residing in Bulgaria stood at 94 in March, bringing the total for 2025 to 317. Nationals of Syrian origin made up the largest group among those returned, accounting for 36.3%.

Additionally, 11 individuals were transferred to other EU Member States under EU Regulation No. 604/2013, which governs the readmission of migrants within the bloc.