46 migrants have been detained in an attempt to enter the country from Turkey in the period March 9 – 16, 2017, showed data of the Interior Ministry, reported BGNES.

The data shows a minimal increase in the migrant pressure from Turkey last week. By comparison, the week before, the number of migrants detained at entry was 34 and the week before that – 21.

The total number of migrants detained since the beginning of 2017 is 198. The minimal increase in migrant pressure from Turkey may be explained with the warming up of the weather which is a key factor for trafficking across a green border.

A total of 37% of the detained were of Syrian origin. Last year, the number of migrants from Syria was considerably lower than the number of those from Afghanistan.

In the third week of March, the Interior Ministry detained only 8 migrants who had no registration in the interior of the country. There is a certain decrease in the number of migrants trying to leave Bulgaria in the direction of Central and Eastern Europe. A mere 13 migrants were detained last week at the Bulgarian-Serbian border.

The occupancy rate of refugee centres is 60% at present and that of the centres with the Migration Directorate – 67%. On March 16, 2017, there were about 4,200 refugees and migrants on the territory of the country.

The Interior Ministry reported a serious increase in the number of foreigners taken out of the country since the beginning of the year – 732 illegally residing foreigners were taken out of Bulgaria in the period January 1 – March 16, 2017.

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