Controversial statements have been made these days in Bulgaria related to the possible construction of a fence along the border with Greece. Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has made it clear that it was possible for a lighter type of fence to be built. Before Borissov, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev had also talked about such a fence but did not share confidential details about its length and location. Head of the parliamentary committee on internal security Tsvetan Tsvetanov also spoke about possible construction of a fence, which shows the topic had been a matter of discussion at various levels.

The statements come at a time when the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior reports twice as less migrants detained in comparison to earlier times. Last week migrants who entered Bulgaria were 68 people while 144 people entered Bulgaria the week before. Meanwhile, those who willfully left the refugee centers during the past week were 300 - twice as many in comparison to a week before that. 134 people trying to illegally cross the Bulgarian-Green border have been detained since the beginning of the year, while at the end of 2015 they were 480.

Building a fence along the border with Greece would also mean giving up on the previous government’s position that no fences were needed along internal EU borders. That is why Bulgaria did not show full agreement with the Visegrad Four during the first meeting of the EU with Turkey. Building such a fence would show doubts in the abilities and readiness of Greece to guard its borders. Actually, this would mean showing doubt in Greece, which is a EU and Schengen Member, while at the same time trusting Turkey.

But there are other views related to the topic. Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova said on Sunday that Bulgaria had no reasons for taking such a measure because its border with Greece is an internal border of the European Union and at the moment the risk of migrant influx through it was not so real. According to Buchvarova, there were no grounds for mistrust towards Greece, which works in cooperation with Bulgaria in relation to the refugee wave.

Apparently, reduced migration pressure has not replaced fears of a refugee wave changing direction and hitting Bulgaria after closing of the Balkan route. In his statements PM Borissov pointed out he opposed building fences along the border with Greece, but still "people expect borders to stay protected." Saying that, he also meant the people of the town of Kresna who recently protested against the possible construction a refugee center in the region.  The government admitted it actually had such plans. But people’s fears did not stop Bulgaria to disagree with the idea of the Visegrad Group for building a fence with Greece. Why is Sofia changing its position now and is that related to the recent military exercises in border areas, the modernization of the Bezmer Airport and adapting it for strategic transport aviation? We are yet to learn the answers to these questions.

English: Alexander Markov