Some 350 refugees from Iraq are currently seeking shelter in Bulgaria and are passing through the usual procedure, Boyko Antonov from the Refugee Agency announced.

At this stage Bulgaria will not accept a massive flow of refugees from Iraq, with Iraq's neighbours expected to be affected most seriously in this respect by the war.

Some of the refugees who seek shelter in Bulgaria, pass through the country without stopping.

In this case a procedure for granting shelter is opened and closed only after the persons are found to have left the country. Should they return to the country, they are not given shelter.

Procedures for giving shelter to some 2500-3000 persons are held annually in Bulgaria.

Some 800-900 Iraqi nationals seek refuge status in Bulgaria each year, citing as an argument the situation in their country. Their number has been on the rise since 2001.

A total of 11, 500 of foreign nationals have sought refugee status in Bulgaria since 1993. The applications of one third of them were approved. The total capacity of refugee centres in Sofia and Nova Zagora does not exceed 600 persons.