Bulgarian Navy, Border Police to Test Joint Action in Migration Control       

A training exercise of Bulgaria's naval and border police forces will test their capabilities for joint action in response to a hypothetical increase in migratory pressure in the Black Sea, the Defence Ministry announced on Thursday.

The exercise in the Bay of Burgas on Sunday afternoon will involve Navy frigate Drazki, a Panther helicopter and two patrol boats as well as a patrol boat of Border Police, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Bulgaria has a maritime border of about 400 km in the Black Sea which is also part of the European Union's external border.

Concerns increased recently about potential shifting of migrant routes through Bulgaria following the closure of the Western Balkan land route, leading from Greece, Macedonia and Serbia to Western Europe.