Bulgaria Reports 41% Dicrease in Illegal Migrants in October

A total of 1,359 third-country nationals were detained in Bulgaria in October, which is 41% fewer than in September 2023, the Interior Ministry reported on its website. Of the total number of detainees, 122 were caught on their way in, 134 on their way out and 1,103 inside the country.

A total of 17,056 third-country nationals were detained between January and October. Of these, 1,364 were inbounds and were arrested at the border, 1,751 were outbound, again caught at the border, and 13,941 were found to be staying illegally inside the country. Compared to the total number of illegal migrants in the same period of 2022, 14, 427 persons, an 18.2% increase is seen this year.

The majority of illegal migrants were citizens of Syria (50.9%), followed by Moroccans (15.9%) and citizens of Afghanistan (15.2%),.

In January-October 2023, the 13,941 illegal migrants found to be illegally staying in Bulgaria, were 35.1% more than in the same period of 2022. These are mainly citizens of Syria (49.9%), of Afghanistan (33.9%) and Morocco (10.5%). 

In late October, Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said that since the beginning of 2023, Bulgarian border authorities had prevented about 165,000 illegal entry attempts at the Bulgarian-Turkish border. 

Source: BULGARIAN NEWS AGENCY