Bulgaria Allocates $3.6Mln to Anti-Migrant Fence on Border With Turkey

Bulgaria's government has approved the allocation of 6.2 million leva (some $3.6 million) to the construction of an anti-migrant fence on the Bulgarian-Turkish border, the government's press service said in a press release on Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In response to the growing number of migrants reaching their territories, some European states, such as Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovenia, have announced the construction of fences, while other states, including Austria and Germany, have toughened their migration policies.

"[As many as] 6.2 million leva [has been allocated] to continue building a temporary fence on the Bulgarian-Turkish border in the region of Burgas. The facility is crucial to counter migratory pressure which has been steadily increasing in recent years on the Bulgarian-Turkish border, and it seeks to protect the state border and control of refugee waves," the press release read.

In mid-March, Brussels and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants who arrive in the European Union through its territory in exchange for Syrian refugees accommodated in Turkey, on a one-for-one basis. In return, the 28-member bloc pledged to accelerate the Turkish EU accession bid and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and the Schengen area.