Serbia’s Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, Aleksandar Vulin, has criticized Bulgaria’s decision to dispatch troops to the Macedonian border in order to curb the number of asylum seekers entering the country.

“Bulgaria erected a fence at the Turkish border. What did you achieve by doing that? Do you need tanks now? The fence is not enough and now you need tanks? This is not a good move and I do not believe that it will solve the problem,” Vulin was cited by a correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio.

Vulin claimed that Bulgaria, an EU Member State, could look for a common solution to the refugee problem that could include Serbia.

He expressed Serbia’s willingness to cooperate with EU countries on the issue of refugees.

Vulin expressed Serbia’s firm opposition to the Hungary’s decision to build a border fence.

He also made clear that Serbia wanted to be granted direct access to EU funds in order to be able to cope with the refugee crisis.

Vulin visited the refugee camp in Presevo on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the European Commission approved additional aid of EUR 1.5 M to assist refugees and migrants in Serbia and Macedonia.