There are four persons among the refugees on Bulgarian territory suspected to be a possible threat to national security, says Interior Minister, Tsvetlin Yovchev.

The Minister explained these individuals are accommodated in secured facilities in awaiting the appropriate procedures for their extradition, already undertaken by the authorities.

Yovchev did not specify their native countries, but noted the well-known fact that the majority of the refugees are from Syria.

He explained that in 2013 Bulgaria has improved the pace of extradition of foreign suspects.

Bulgaria has the capacity to accommodate about 5 000, while over 6 000 refugees have arrived in the country since the beginning of 2013, with local authorities expecting the number to exceed 11 000 by the end of the year.

The total capacity of 3 350 in the shelters under the authority of the Interior Ministry and the State Agency for Refugees has been exceeded by 129 beds.

Over 2 000 refugees are accommodated in the three Sofia shelters – in the districts of Ovcha Kupel, Voenna Rampa and Vrazhdebna. The City Hall announced after an emergency sitting that the capital would no longer accept asylum seekers and would rather focus on improving the conditions in the shelters, which have have been largely described as deplorable.

Bulgaria is the gateway to the European Union for refugees fleeing Syria via Turkey, many crossing the border illegally to seek asylum.

The country has asked for EU aid in order to deal with the ongoing refugee influx caused by the Syrian conflict.