Between January and April 2021, the number of illegal immigrants attempting to cross the Bulgaria-Turkey border increased sevenfold as compared to the same period in 2020, announced this country‘s Border Police. A total of 3,978 illegal immigrants were intercepted and 147 were detained. Most of them are nationals of Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The number of immigrants attempting to cross the Bulgaria-Greece border increased 12 times during the same period. This country's Border Police intercepted 2,213 foreign nationals. 97 illegal immigrants were detained.

In the first four months of 2021, Bulgaria's Border Police detained 449 third-country nationals in their attempt to exit the country, which is a five-fold increase as compared to the same period last year.