Russian spies and hard-left humanitarian groups are working with people smugglers to flood Europe with illegal migrants, a Bulgarian minister says.
Daniel Mitov, the interior minister, said his government had evidence that Russia’s foreign intelligence service had direct links with the criminal gangs facilitating illegal immigration into the European Union.
He said Russian spies were helping people smugglers find weaknesses in the EU’s external borders, including Bulgaria’s border with Turkey, and were telling migrants how to exploit EU and UK asylum systems and avoid removal.
Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, said Mitov’s revelations exposed the threats posed by hostile states like Russia. She said: “It is clear that illegal migration into Europe and beyond is being driven not just by organised crime networks seeking to make a profit, but by hostile state actors seeking to destabilise Europe.
Yvette Cooper pledged support for Bulgaria’s borders
JEFF J MITCHELL/GETTY IMAGES
“That threat is real, growing and very serious, and I have made clear that we need to expand and strengthen our international co-operation to tackle it together.
“We will therefore continue to support Bulgaria and our other Nato allies in securing Europe’s external frontiers, and tackling every different type of threat we face from the Putin regime, including providing the specialist equipment, intelligence and training that will help our Bulgarian counterparts to defend their borders and disrupt these criminal operations.”
The Bulgarian government also said that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were collaborating with smugglers “under ideological pretexts”.
Mitov said British teenagers had been helping “neo-Marxist groups”. “Illegal migration inflows are an instrument for hostile regimes to destabilise the European Union and the United Kingdom,” he said. “They are aiming to destabilise the welfare systems. Plus, of course … through smuggling radicalised individuals, they create security issues for us.”
• British border officers sent to Balkans to stem flow of migrants
Bulgaria will be among the European nations attending a summit in London hosted by Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday to discuss closer co-operation on tackling illegal immigration through the western Balkans, one of the main routes into the EU.
Starmer also hopes to make progress in talks with several Balkan leaders on “return hubs” which would accept rejected asylum seekers in return for money and intelligence. Britain has approached Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina and several countries outside Europe.
Bulgaria joined the EU’s Schengen area in January, allowing freedom of movement across the 29-country border-free zone. It means Bulgaria’s 161-mile border with Turkey is now the EU’s south-eastern external border.
Mitov said this meant Bulgaria had become “the gateway to Europe”. He said: “Now it is time to build a home and preserve our internal freedoms. Not a fortress but a home which needs walls. Every house needs walls. Those walls need to be solid and there are gates through which every guest can enter.”
Mitov said that some NGOs were helping hostile states, albeit unwittingly
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES GLOSSOP
Mitov said Bulgaria had become concerned about the activities of some NGOs. He said: “They are neo-Marxist groups which are trying to justify their actions through philosophical or ideological constructs. Basically, let’s get all the poor people from the world and let them establish themselves here, the absolute freedom of movement, the non-existence of borders and so on and so forth.
“So unfortunately, we do have challenges with such non-governmental organisations which, maybe unwittingly, take part in the operations of those hostile states and the criminal networks which smuggle people illegally into the territory of the EU and the UK.”
Two of the groups accused are No Name Kitchen, which operates across the Balkans, Mediterranean and Sahel migration routes to “defend freedom of movement”, and Mission Wings, a Bulgaria-based charity that primarily protects children.
Several investigations are underway into the activities of some individuals .
Mitov said British teenagers who had been involved were probably unaware that their actions were illegal but warned others thinking of volunteering at the Bulgaria-Turkey border that they faced jail and large fines if they were found helping migrants cross the border illegally.
Since September 18, 5,703 migrants have crossed the Channel to England
GARETH FULLER/PA
Mission Wings denied allegations of involvement in people smuggling and said: “Neither our organisation nor its staff have ever participated in rescue operations involving migrants or refugees at Bulgaria’s borders. Whenever we have received signals concerning migrants in distress, we have immediately alerted the Ministry of Interior and the national emergency number 112, and have co-operated fully with the competent authorities.
“To accuse us of co-operation with criminal smuggling networks is absurd and offensive. We have consistently and publicly opposed irregular border crossing, which constitutes a crime and poses serious risks.”
No Name Kitchen said it was an EU-registered humanitarian organisation and firmly rejected the “baseless” accusations. It said: “For nearly a decade, we have worked in full compliance with domestic and international law. As stated by the European Commission to the Bulgarian authorities, humanitarian assistance is not a crime and never has been. We remain committed to lawful action and protecting human rights at Europe’s borders.”
The Home Office announced on Sunday that it had removed a further 16 small boat migrants to France under the one in, one out returns deal. It took the total deported to France under the deal to 42. Under the reciprocal terms of the deal, 23 asylum seekers were transferred to the UK.
Over the same period — since September 18 — a total of 5,703 migrants have crossed the Channel in 82 boats.