The number of troops dispatched to Bulgaria’s borders will increase, according to Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev.

In a Friday interview for bTV, Nenchev made clear that the military presence at the border was set to increase due to the unprecedented migration pressure.

He was adamant that the troops would remain at the critical spots as long as necessary, assisting the Border Police and the gendarmerie.

As of Friday, gendarmerie officers will assist Border Police officers at the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

As of Thursday, 25 troops have been dispatched to the Bulgaria-Macedonia border to help Border Police.

Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov emphasized that the troops sent to the Macedonian border were only authorized to conduct surveillance activities and not to arrest people.