Described by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as a "historic moment for Bulgaria and Romania" and a "day of great pride for their citizens," the partial admission of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area, unanimously voted by the European Council on December 31, 2023, was not enough to satisfy Bulgarian expectations.
The agreement, which will come into force on March 31, only covers the abolition of controls at the European Union's (EU) sea and air borders. The date for the opening of land borders, which Sofia has been waiting for over 12 years, "has not yet been specified," said Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, head of the pro-European coalition in power. Brussels had to deal with the conditions imposed by Austria, which is reluctant to accept illegal immigration along the Balkan route, and has been demanding increased security along the Bulgarian-Turkish border for over a year.
The border, which stretches for more than 240 kilometers, is a preferred entry point for migrants trying to reach Europe, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Kurdistan. On some days, "up to 1,500 illegal immigrants are intercepted at the border in 24 hours," said former Bulgarian Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev. In 2022, more than 168,000 attempts at illegal entry were recorded by the ministry. This record number was used by Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to argue for the construction of fences along the border.
The number of asylum seekers could increase if Bulgaria, an EU member since 2007, were to join the Schengen area by land. Yet Bulgaria's security forces, regularly criticized by human rights organizations for their violence, seem to be already overwhelmed. In July 2021, the European Court of Human Rights condemned their deportation methods as being in "breach of human rights."
Brussels, which has always refused to fund "anti-migrant walls," prefers to guarantee "substantial financial support and assistance from the European coastguard agency [Frontex]" to Bulgaria, said European Commission spokesperson for home affairs Anitta Hipper. However, the intervention of Frontex agents, deployed along the border since 2018, has not lowered tensions. At the end of 2022, the UN had even expressed "concerns" following the release of videos revealing the detention of migrants in a cage close to a Frontex car.
In the Harmanli refugee camp, less than 50 km from the Turkish border, violence has also become common. In 2023, more than 700 asylum seekers were crammed into the camp in very poor living conditions. "Over 40% of the residents suffer from scabies," said Markus Bachman, an on-site employee for Médecins sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors without Borders). "I've seen between 100 and 250 people forced to share one bathroom." Many residents also testified to having been sent back to Turkey after being arrested on Bulgarian territory. MSF condemned "pushbacks in violation of European law."
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