The Interior Ministry and the State Agency for Refugees must look for the provocateurs of the riot in Harmanli among the so-called “patriotic” parties and organisations, reckons the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC). The organisation for the defence of human rights sent a statement to the media noting that throwing stones at the police is inadmissible but the reasons for that must be sought beyond the fences of the refugee camp.

BHC reminded that elections are pending and stated that “certain parties which bet only on anti-migrant, xenophobic and fascist rhetoric feel the need to accumulate self-confidence and an electorate”.

“What would be better than organising a controlled riot with a little blood-letting and lots of media hysterics,” read the statement of the organisation.

BHC also reminded that European funding to the amount of EUR 160 M has been urgently granted to the country in order to deal with the migrant crisis and presumes that certain appetites to gain access to the funding might be involved.