Bulgaria's Border Police

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov from Bulgaria's Border Police addressed recent developments regarding Bulgaria's Schengen entry and the evolving migrant situation in Europe.

Anton Zlatanov, the director of Bulgaria's Border Police, addressed Austria's requirements for Bulgaria's entry into Schengen, calling them potentially political rather than professional. In an interview with жTV, Zlatanov expressed uncertainty regarding the stipulations put forth by Austria and highlighted the lack of concrete professional arguments against Bulgaria's entry into Schengen.

In the aftermath of heavy snowfall, a state of emergency persists across numerous Bulgarian municipalities, with the entire Razgrad district under this measure. While the road connecting Razgrad to Targovishte is now accessible to cars, it will only open to cargo vehicles later today. However, third-class roads in Razgrad and Shumen districts remain closed, hampering travel.

Bulgaria's Border police identified 13 men without identity documents in a van driven by a 32-year-old man from Haskovo. Ten of the foreigners said they were from Afghanistan and three from Pakistan. The driver and the illegal migrants were detained, Ministry of Interior press office said on 28th of November, reports BNT. 

Bulgaria's Border Police broke up a criminal group manufacturing counterfeit identification documents during a specialized operation in Sofia and Silistra district, according to BNR.

 Six Bulgarian nationals, who used to order, manufacture and spread fake ID cards with falsified personal data were detained during the police operation.

The three Augusta helicopters that are supposed to be patrolling Bulgaria's borders with Serbia, Macedonia, and Turkey have been grounded at the airport in Bezmer due to the lack of aviation insurance.

In November 2014 Bulgaria's Border Police unit launched a public procurement procedure for the insurance of the three helicopters, according to reports of Pressa daily.

Kilometer-long queues have formed at the Turkish-Bulgarian border crossing points, with the drivers seeking to cross into Bulgaria.

The congestion at the Turkish border crossing unit formed on Friday afternoon, according to reports of an Istanbul-based correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio.

Milen Penev was officially announced by Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov as the new director of Bulgaria's Border Police on Monday.

Penev succeeds Zaharin Penov, who resigned following the truck incident which claimed the driver's life, and injured most of the other border policemen it was transporting.

Bulgaria's Border Police caught 22 illegal immigrants at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing with Turkey, said Interior Ministry. 

The 22 men, two women and one child were hidden in two containers on a freight train travelling from Turkey. 

None of them had documents, but three said they were from Myanmar and the rest – from Syria.