Bulgaria Disburses Millions More for Border Fence Deterring Migrants

The Bulgarian government has allocated an additional BGN 20 M to three southeastern regions where a fence is being built along the border with Turkey.

The fence, which is referred to as a "temporary deterring installation", is aimed at "withstanding the migratory pressure on the Bulgarian-Turkish border growing over the past years" and at "stemming the wave of refugees," according to a government press statement.

For more than two years since 2014, when construction began, the costs have surpassed BGN 100 M as of this summer.

Separately, the cabinet has disbursed BGN 0.407 M to repair border crossings and border police stations and equipment as part of "urgent measures relating to the accession of [Bulgaria] into the Schengen area."

As an upward migratory pressure on the southeastern border has been reported over the past few years, two successive Bulgarian governments have pledged to reduce the inflow of migrants through the fence, but even with much of the construction being finished, data shows the number of arrivals has not been strongly affected.