Turkey, Bulgaria sign readmission protocol

ANKARA

Turkey and Bulgaria on Thursday signed a readmission agreement linked to the EU-Turkey refugee deal that came into force on March 20.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumyana Bachvarova signed the first bilateral protocol between Turkey and an EU state to take back migrants who do not receive asylum in the bloc.

“The protocol will bring solutions for the migrant crisis between Turkey and Bulgaria, as well as Turkey and the EU,” Bachvarova said at the ceremony.

Bulgaria shares a 225 kilometer (140 mile) land border with Turkey.

Bachvarova added: “This will also be a warning for migrant smugglers. I would like to note that the protocol between Turkey and Bulgaria will be the first among European Union countries.”