46 940 attempts to cross the Bulgaria-Turkiye border were prevented in the period June 1- July 31, the Ministry of Interior announced. This represents an increase of 73% in the number of illegal entries prevented compared to the same period in 2022, when there were 27,083 such attempts. The number of migrants apprehended at the border area has doubled to 400, compared to 200 in the same two-month period of 2022. The number of pre-trial proceedings initiated has increased from 194 in June and July of 2022 to 343 in June and July of 2023.

The number of third-country nationals detained in the interior of the country has also increased. From June 1 to July 31, 2023, a total of 3,452 people were detained in the interior of the country, which is 3.7 times more (270%) as compared to the same period in 2022. From the beginning of 2023 until August 7, a total of 108,954 attempts to illegally enter the country through the Bulgaria-Turkiye border were prevented, compared to 67,846 for the same period last year, which represents an increase of 59%.