Preliminary data claims that today’s EU–Turkey summit intends to put an end to the non-regulated migrant flow towards West and North Europe across the West Balkan countries. The flow along that route has been seriously restricted recently and that has resulted in refugees and traffickers’ increased interest towards circumventing routes to the EU, some of those crossing Bulgaria. Sofia is aware of that and over the weekend the government demonstrated determination to prevent such development of the situation.

An urgent military training was ordered by PM Boyko Borissov for the area of the Kulata border checkpoint. Named Border 2016, it was designed to coordinate joint actions of the interior and defense ministries and the Bulgarian Red Cross within a situation of increased migrant pressure. More than 400 officers and soldiers trained together at all spots possible for penetration of illegal migrants. Field camps were built up and the local authorities were ordered to back them up. The funding of these large-scale actions might cost the value of the February fiscal surplus of EUR 130 mln. The EU has also confirmed its support for eventual humanitarian actions. Half of the training’s participants still remain in the bordering region and military units from all over Southwest Bulgaria can react quickly, if necessary.

In case of strengthened migrant pressure the border security’s main task will be to direct migrants to strict border checkpoint crossing only. The government intends to let migrants go to West Europe only after their fingerprints are taken, they go through medical exams and receive confirmation from a destination they are welcome in. PM Borissov goes to the summit with the expectation that it will back up such a stance and he is optimistic on achieving it. He sees his reasons in written assurance of President of the European Council Donald Tusk, along with some statements of the French president and the German chancellor. More specifically, Borissov expects that the European Council will adopt the understanding that the Schengen free movement of persons area should be restored, the illegal migrants name should remain within its present legislative definition and violations of this law shall not be tolerated.

FRONTEX reports that movement has been spotted along all routes, but the Balkan one with spring coming – through Bulgaria and Serbia, from Greece across Albania and Italy or through Ukraine. Those routes have not turned yet into refugee highways, however, and there is a chance for this to be prevented. Before the EU-Turkey summit Brussels and Ankara reached a serious rapprochement on the issue for a large-scale Turkish readmission of economic migrants who have arrived to Greece. EC sources claim that in case this agreement receives its formal frame at the summit, it would be one of the initial signs for the solving of the crisis. NATO has also voiced to the public the enhancing of its Aegean Sea mission against human traffickers towards Greece and further north to the rest of Europe, also strengthening its cooperation with FRONTEX. Such actions might reason refugees out of jumping into boats on their way to European shores. Similar effect is expected from Turkey’s agreement to receive back all migrants, nabbed in her territorial waters.

The actions for restriction and effective regulation of the refugee problem finally seem well-coordinated and aimed at a common policy. The EU–Turkey summit tonight will have to show whether such policy will be formulated indeed and when its results will be felt.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev