The migratory pressure has gone down three-fold in the period from the beginning of the year until 20 March, compared to the same period of 2023, outgoing Minister of Interior Kalin Stoyanov said in parliament during parliamentary control.

Minister Stoyanov stated that almost 6,000 people had attempted to cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border illegally in the period from the beginning of the year until 20 March, whereas their number during the same period of 2023 was over 18,000. “The lasting tendency of a drop in the migratory pressure towards Bulgaria continues. 40 individuals have crossed the Bulgarian-Turkish border illegally during the past 24 hours, their number on the same date of last year being 482, i.e. yesterday we had 10 times fewer people as compared to last year on the same day,” Minister Stoyanov said, and went on to announce that 189 migrants had been returned to Bulgaria under the Dublin Regulation January 1-March 5, and 140 – as readmission.