Bulgaria relies on European solidarity to tackle migration pressure
26 January 2015 News
Minister Daniel Mitov held a meeting today with Roland François-Weil, UNHCR Representative in Bulgaria. They discussed the condition and the development of the national asylum and protection system.
Minister Mitov and Roland Weil exchanged views on the increasing migratory pressure caused by the instability in the Middle East, including the crisis in Iraq and Syria. Bulgaria's capacity to cope with it is associated with the facilities to accommodate refugees, their efficient integration into Bulgarian society and the improvement of the qualifications, including language skills, of professionals who are working with them.
The Foreign Minister pointed out that the efforts to tackle this new type of challenge together with the assistance of our partner states are giving positive results. We value the good cooperation with the Bulgarian institutions at all levels, Roland Weil said. According to him, after the initial difficulties with the sharp increase in refugee flows, Bulgaria currently has sufficient capacity for temporary accommodation.
Minister Daniel Mitov and Roland François-Weil reaffirmed the need to create an integration mechanism. They agreed that specific steps for the implementation of the objectives of the National Strategy for the Integration of Beneficiaries of International Protection in Bulgaria should be formulated.
As EU’s external border, Bulgaria is exposed to severe migratory pressure that affects not only us, but the EU as a whole, Minister Mitov said. In order to deal with the situation we rely on EU’s solidarity, including financial, given the budgetary constraints of our country, he said.