Often Bulgaria becomes the focus of foreign media because of the fence erected along the border with Turkey, aimed to stop the influx of refugees. Sometimes showing more understanding, but always with a hint of criticism, authors say that the reason for taking such a measure is the fear of refugees. Pointing out that other countries on the continent also erect fences, a German newspaper recently wrote that "Europe used to bring walls down, but now it has started restoring them.”

Bulgarians themselves also show criticism to recent processes as they still remember how in the name of democracy the border fences with Turkey and former Yugoslavia, built under socialism, were demolished. Many rightly pointed out that we were removing fences that used to stop our freedom of movement, and today we raise fences to restrict the movement of refugees. But is the fear of refugees the main reason?

Even when construction of the first 30 kilometers of the fence with Turkey started, then Interior Minister said that he would have preferred if the fence was not necessary. The choice for erecting the fence was not easy nor was it taken immediately. Construction started during a government, defined as a leftist one and continues today under a center-right government planning to erect the fence along the entire land border with Turkey. It is not true that the measure was taken because of fear of refugees. It was taken to channel the influx of refugees towards the legitimate border crossings, in order not to find people frozen top death in inaccessible mountain areas. The fence also helps the state keep the process under control and not to let criminals and traffickers take advantage of the situation. Bulgaria also aims to meet the minimum requirements when welcoming people on its territory.

Because of the measures taken along the border, Bulgaria became the subject of criticism abroad, including in neighboring Turkey. But because of foreign criticism about insufficient measures Turkey renewed 145 km of fence along the border with Syria, created a new 90-km fence and has plans for a system of two fences including roads and watchtowers between them in the most vulnerable border areas.

Obviously, the situation of rising illegal migration has called for measures aimed to neutralize the consequences. There are such measures not only in Bulgaria or Turkey, not only in Europe, but even in the U.S. There billionaire Donald Trump, who could become a candidate in the presidential elections in 2016, called for erecting a wall along the entire border between the US and friendly Mexico. The Balkans expect new developments related to the refugee issue. Because of obstacles more migrants have started to look for ways to reach Europe after crossing the sea. Recently a large ship with thousands of immigrants has arrived in the port of Athens. Some of the immigrants plan to reach Macedonia, then Serbia and after that to go to western European countries through Hungary.

Since June 19 the authorities in Macedonia have received refugee status requests by more than 30,000 people coming from neighboring Greece. Some time ago Greece erected a fence along the border with Turkey, which redirected the refugee flow towards Bulgaria. Maybe now Macedonia would build such a facility along the border with Greece but where would the refugee flow go then?

It is clear that the erection of boundary walls is a temporary measure to minimize the consequences of a problem that has been caused by political and humanitarian problems in a huge region of the world. An actual and lasting solution to the problem, however, suggests measures to be taken in the place where the problem occurs. But steps in this direction are tentative because of fear of more serious consequences. So far the lesser evil has been chosen.

English: Alexander Markov