British Ambassador to Bulgaria Jonathan Allen has refuted rumors that his country is afraid of a Bulgarian "influx" once labor restrictions are lifted at the end of 2013.

Allen told the Bulgarian National Television that all Bulgarians who are willing to work and study – without abusing the welfare system – will be welcomed.

The Ambassador admitted that no one knows how many Bulgarians and Romanians will head to the UK after the end of 2013.

He was positive that Bulgarians and Romanians are not discriminated against in his country.

"Bulgarian citizens are just like all other European Union. Bulgarians are hard-working people, who pay their taxes," he noted, as cited by local media.

On Monday, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced measures to restrict immigrants' access to state support for unemployment, housing and health care.

In his speech in Ipswich, Cameron, made clear that Europeans would lose unemployment support after six months unless they were able to prove that they were "genuinely seeking employment."

Cameron's speech came after serious campaigning on the part of anti-EU UK Independence Party against easing immigration controls for Bulgarians and Romanians.

Controversial claims have been made by a number of British tabloids and politicians that the UK should brace for a massive"influx" of Bulgarian and Romanian migrants after the end of 2013. It has been claimed that lifting the restriction would "put pressure" on housing, infrastructure, schools, and heath care.

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