In response to the request from Bulgarian authorities, the European border security agency Frontex will significantly strengthen its ongoing activities at the country’s land borders. Additional assistance will mainly focus on the border with Turkey but surveillance of the border with Serbia will also be reinforced.

Frontex will deploy border surveillance officers, patrol cars, thermo-vision vans and dog teams to the land border with Turkey. At the same time border surveillance will also be reinforced at the Bulgarian-Serbian border. Frontex will also strengthen its presence at the border crossing points to help the Bulgarian authorities detect persons hidden in cars, buses and trains. The agency will also deploy more screening and debriefing experts.

The screening officers play a key role in helping the national authorities determine the nationality of the incoming migrants in order to identify and register them. Debriefing experts gather information about the activities of smuggling networks.

Prior to the increase, Frontex deployed 63 experts of different profiles at the border with Turkey and 17 border surveillance officers at the Bulgarian border with Serbia.