Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Punishments for migrant smuggling should be stricter: President Radev

Photo: ЕПА/БГНЕС

At a press briefing, when asked about the case in which the bodies of 18 migrants were found in a truck near the village of Lokorsko, President Rumen Radev pointed out that in other countries the perpetrators of similar crimes receive tens of years in prison. In Bulgaria, Radev pointed out, after their capture by the authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to an agreement with the prosecutor's office, they receive several months of imprisonment, which is an invitation to commit the same crimes again. 

According to the Bulgarian head of state, this case clearly shows that the judicial authorities in Bulgaria must approach this type of crime in a radically different way.


Radev added that this is also the reason for the thousands of unregistered migrants who are today in some European countries, including Austria. That is why Bulgaria has managed in recent months to convince the European Commission, the European Council and all partners that border protection is not the responsibility of front-line countries only, but of all member states, the president pointed out. 
He also added that significant support in the form of financial means and equipment is expected.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Within the space of 1 month, Bulgaria is mentioned 7 times as a country connected with dangerous food

In September, Bulgaria was mentioned as a country connected with dangerous food 7 times, indicate data of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), BNR’s Vesselina Milanova reports. Over the same period this country has reported..

published on 10/21/25 3:09 PM
PM Rosen Zhelyazkov

Cabinet allocates 15,000 leva to be paid out to heirs of people who lost their lives in the floods

The legal heirs of the people who lost their lives during the flooding in the region of Burgas at the beginning of October will receive 15,000 leva (EUR 7,670), the government has decided, BGNES reports. The 60,000 leva (EUR 30,679) needed has been..

published on 10/21/25 2:58 PM
Tzvetan Spassov, Smilen Valov and Dimitar Kolarov

More and more Bulgarians living abroad want to return to their country

The tendency of Bulgarians returning from abroad is permanent. This became apparent during the forum “Europe is with me”, organized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy’s Human Resources Development Programme, the Bulgarian news agency BTA..

published on 10/21/25 2:31 PM