A total of 84 MPs voted in favor of the proposal, while 45 were against it and 69 abstained from voting. File photo
Bulgaria’s Parliament rejected Wednesday a proposal to build a fence on the country’s entire border with Turkey in order to curb the influx of asylum-seekers.
The proposal was made by the ultranationalist Ataka (Attack) party and was backed by the opposition center-right GERB.
A total of 84 MPs voted in favor of the proposal, while 45 were against it and 69 abstained from voting.
Ataka’s controversial proposal to extradite all illegal immigrants from Bulgaria was also rejected.
Bulgaria is the gateway to the European Union for refugees fleeing Syria via Turkey, many crossing the border illegally. However, along with asylum seekers from Syria, a large number of people from North Africa and the Middle East have also arrived illegally through the southern border with Turkey.
In October, the country launched the construction of a 30 km-long wire fence on part of its border with Turkey.