Bulgaria's Anti-Corruption Bill Was 'Too Good' to Be Passed - Deputy PM

Eastern Europe is closer to the conflict in Syria and this explains its different reaction to the migrant crisis compared to the West, Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva told the BBC.

She also commented on domestic issues such as the fight against corruption and Bulgaria's further integration into the European Union.

In a HardTalk interview with Stephen Sackur, asked whether Bulgaria would commit to any quota it is given, Kuneva responded affirmatively. Inquired to explain why the country had accepted only 2 migrants out of 1600 people it is supposed to receive under the current relocation mechanism agreed last year, she retorted the process was not a matter of "intention", adding it was difficult for Bulgaria to attract migrants who normally preferred Germany and Sweden, citing local language and tough economic conditions.

Commenting on the host's suggestion of "uncompassionate attitude" to migrants and widespread accusations of violence hurled at border police by human rights groups (including the case when a migrant died at gunshot near the Bulgaria-Turkey border), she argued that Bulgaria, apart from subscribing to human rights, "also talks about security."

"Imagine if we just open the doors and all the refugees come through the territory of Bulgaria and go wherever they want," she said.

On the "compassion deficit", a phrase used to describe some governments in Eastern Europe and their response to the migrant crisis, she retorted: "I don't want to have a mental border between Western and Eastern Europe. We are closer to the conflict. When the conflict is just one border from Turkey and you are obviously responsible to guard the entrance into the European Union, you should perform."

The Deputy PM expressed her...