Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Turkey Nadezhda Neynski made her first public speech two weeks after the coup attempt in that country’s southern neighbor. Ambassador Neynski pointed out that stability in Turkey was of great importance for Bulgaria, because in case of possible destabilization in Turkey the agreement on the readmission of refugees can’t function anymore. Nadezhda Neynski warned that if Turkey entered into a spiral of violence and repressions, it would not be regarded anymore as a safe country. According to the European legislation, refugees can’t be sent back to countries which do not guarantee their security.

Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Ankara Neynski was asked to refrain from making any public speeches during the coup attempt in Turkey. Only several high-standing officials in Bulgaria made public speeches, thus expressing a common stand on the situation in Bulgaria’s neighbor.

Ambassador Nadezhda Neynski expressed concerns voiced by Premier Borissov himself only one day after the coup attempt in Turkey. Premier Boyko Borissov then said that if Turkey was destabilized, Bulgaria would be recognized as a first safe country and would be obliged to receive all migrants who are trying to escape from military conflicts. Two weeks later Ambassador Neynski repeated Premier Borissov’s words, which means that Sofia is still concerned about the situation in Turkey.

In the past few days Turkey has been pointing out repeatedly that the agreement with the EU on the readmission of migrants would be denounced, if the European Union fails to introduce a visa-free regime for Turkish citizens. However, the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos has assured that Turkey would continue to fulfill its engagements. Moreover, Bulgaria’s cabinet announced that it had no reason to alter its general policy on Turkey. However, Sofia remains cautious and has been developing measures aimed at protecting Bulgaria, if the situation took a negative turn.

Now one of Bulgaria’s biggest concerns is that if human rights are violated in Turkey and that if those who took part at the coup attempt do not receive a fair trial, the EU would abandon its intentions to introduce visa-free regime to Ankara. Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz reacted sharply on Wednesday, calling on the European Union to consider an alternative deal with Turkey regarding the refugees. Vienna contends that the EU needs efficient border and coastal protection and that the illegal migrants should be kept in migrant centers and later deported to their home countries or to some safe transit countries.

Moreover, Sofia is concerned about the fact that the migrant smuggling channels have become more active in the past few days. That is why Bulgaria’s Minister of Interior Rumiana Bachvarova announced that a special unit, whose task will be to intercept those channels, will be established within several days with the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior. Sixty Polish officers and special equipment are expected to arrive soon in Bulgaria at the request of FRONTEX agency. They will help Bulgaria control its state borders more efficiently. The migration processes are so dynamic that the good news brings only little relief. For instance the decrease in the number of migrants entering Serbia from Bulgarian territory is compensated with increased number of migrants in Greece and over half of those people head to the Greek-Bulgarian and the Greek- Macedonian borders.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov