Bulgaria's Interior Minister has voiced the preference of her government as to the nationality and religion of migrants that Bulgaria is to accept under the EU quota scheme pending approval.

Rumyana Bachvarova told private national NOVA TV on Thursday that, when asked about that by Europe, Sofia had pointed to Syrian families.

She added the country hoped for a "religious balance" within the group of 1600 that will prospectively be relocated from Italy, Greece and Hungary.

Sofia is to officially submit its criteria request to the EU later this month.

Most of the migrants from the Middle East passing through Southeast Europe en route to Germany are thought to be from Syria, though people from other countries are also seeking asylum. Some EU member states, like Slovakia, have openly stated their preferences. Bratislava in particular said in August it would neither accept mandatory quotas nor migrants of other religion that Christianity.