Bulgaria decided to deploy more than 400 security men at its border with Greece to prevent a possible increase in migration flow, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced.

The country, though, is not included, at least for now, in the route used by immigrants and refugees to reach northern European countries and refugee flow from Greece to Bulgaria is currently rare.

“More than 400 security men will remain here permanently,” Mr. Borisov said on Saturday at the end of a military exercise of security forces involving armored vehicles and helicopters which took place in front of its border with Greece and close to FYROM.

“If necessary, about 500 extra men can be deployed within a few hours at the border,” he added.

Bulgaria decided to take these measures to prevent new migration routes to emerge which could be used by migrants who are stuck in Greece and want to reach northern European countries.
“Bulgaria can deal with the traffickers in one day,” Bulgarian Prime Minister said.

“I’m not the only one who has raised the issue of guarding the borders to Greek Prime Minister,” he said adding that “Bulgarian border police arrests illegal immigrants and traffickers on a daily basis”.

He also praised the cooperation of Turkish authorities in addressing the refugee crisis, stressing, though, that he cannot say the same thing for Greece. Therefore, as he said, Bulgaria can help Greece.

“We cannot let Greece alone, our neighbors, our friends, who have been our brothers for centuries and they will remain are brothers,” he said.

“If they want, I can send forces of our General Directorate for combating organized crime and DANS [Bulgarian intelligence service and national security], and within one day the trafficking issue will be solved,” Borisov said.