Bulgarian authorities apprehended 18,554 third-country nationals as illegal migrants in 2023, reflecting a significant 10.7% surge compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Interior Ministry.

Among those detained, 1,803 were inbound travelers arrested at the Bulgarian border, while an additional 1,990 were outbound unregistered individuals also arrested at the border. The majority, totaling 14,761 migrants, were discovered residing illegally within the country.

In December 2023 alone, law enforcement detained 546 third-country nationals, marking a 42.6% decrease from November 2023. This figure included 243 inbound travelers arrested at the border, 141 outbound unregistered persons arrested at the border, and 162 found to be illegally staying within the country.

As of December 31, 2023, migrant centers operated by the Interior Ministry housed 387 occupants, primarily from Syria, Morocco, and Afghanistan, resulting in a 36.5% occupancy rate. Additionally, the State Agency for Refugees hosted 2,611 individuals in camps, reaching a 72.7% capacity.

Throughout 2023, these centers received 20,524 people, with 19,939 departing voluntarily and 2,600 leaving after receiving protection. The number of individuals applying for protection reached 22,518, with over 16,000 seeing discontinuation of the protection procedure, and 2,950 being denied protection.

Last year, 35 unaccompanied migrants under 18 years of age were detected and subsequently handed over to the Social Assistance Directorate. Interior Ministry Secretary General Zhivko Kotsev emphasized the negligible migrant pressure at the Turkish-Bulgarian border, noting 28 trespassing attempts by third-country nationals in January.