Rumyana Bachvarova

Bulgaria is not inclined to allow the deployment of joint border police units with Serbia to its border with Turkey, a recent government decision shows.

Last week Bulgaria approved an agreement for bilateral police cooperation that provides for the establishment of joint patrols on the common border with Serbia.

Bulgaria and the United States have signed an agreement that will allow the exchange of dactyloscopic (fingerprints) data and DNA profiles in an effort to boost cooperation in fighting crime, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry has said.

During the two meetings with the Interior Minister and the PM of Serbia, no concern was expressed about the way Bulgaria secures its border, stated on Friday in Parliament Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova.

"We have a re-admission agreement with Serbia and the applications for re-admission are 116 so far," added Bachvarova.

In the last 15 days, there has been increased pressure from illegal migrants trying to enter Serbia from Bulgaria, stated the speaker of the Serbian Defence Ministry, Jovan Krivokapic.

Krivokapic announced that a group of 50 migrants was arrested on Wednesday evening and that they have been sent to detention centres.

Plovdiv is the most dangerous city in Bulgaria in terms of traffic-related accidents.

This became clear from Road Police data presented by Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova in a written answer to a deputy's question.

Policemen will retain the full package of privileges with a compensation of up to 20 salaries and the option to use 12 additional days of annual leave.

This became clear at a public discussion organised by the Parliamentary Commission for Internal Security and Public Order.

After UNESCO Director Irina Bokova came only fifth in the fourth ballot for a new UN Secretary-General, reports are rife that Bulgaria may replace her with the European Commission Vice-President, Kristalina Georgieva.

However, Bulgaria's deputy-premier and Minister of Interior, Rumyana Bachvarova, dismissed this on Monday.

The government is studying the option of opening a new refugee centre and is prepared to send more military forces to defend the border with Turkey, stated Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova.

The bodies of two migrants have been found in the Danube River, near the village of Archar, northwestern Bulgaria, police say.

Most of the Bulgarian section of the Danube serves as a natural border with Romania.

Authorities are now looking for "two boys, two girls and a man" who reportedly also drowned while trying to cross into Romania.

Bulgarian Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova has said she has no information about intentions of the cabinet to replace its nomination of UNESCO head Irina Bokova for the office of UN Secretary General.

Bachvarova, however, has stopped short of denying the reports.