Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Punishments for migrant smuggling should be stricter: President Radev

Photo: ЕПА/БГНЕС

At a press briefing, when asked about the case in which the bodies of 18 migrants were found in a truck near the village of Lokorsko, President Rumen Radev pointed out that in other countries the perpetrators of similar crimes receive tens of years in prison. In Bulgaria, Radev pointed out, after their capture by the authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to an agreement with the prosecutor's office, they receive several months of imprisonment, which is an invitation to commit the same crimes again. 

According to the Bulgarian head of state, this case clearly shows that the judicial authorities in Bulgaria must approach this type of crime in a radically different way.


Radev added that this is also the reason for the thousands of unregistered migrants who are today in some European countries, including Austria. That is why Bulgaria has managed in recent months to convince the European Commission, the European Council and all partners that border protection is not the responsibility of front-line countries only, but of all member states, the president pointed out. 
He also added that significant support in the form of financial means and equipment is expected.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

President Radev presents national flag to the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic expedition

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has presented the national flag to the participants in the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition. At a ceremony in the Hall of Arms, the flag was accepted by the head and doyen of Bulgarian research in the White Continent,..

published on 11/4/25 1:24 PM
Christine Lagarde

Christine Lagarde: Joining the eurozone is just the beginning

The euro will help, but it does not on its own guarantee higher standards of living, said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, at the high-level conference in Sofia titled ''Bulgaria on the Doorstep of the..

published on 11/4/25 11:40 AM

Premier Zhelyazkov: The euro is not just a currency, but a strategic choice

The adoption of the euro from January 1, 2026, is "one of the most important stages in Bulgaria's European path'', said Premier Rosen Zhelyazkov at the high-level conference titled "Bulgaria on the Doorstep of the Eurozone" held in Boyana Residence in..

published on 11/4/25 10:30 AM