For first time, Bulgaria co-organises with Frontex deportation of personae non grata

For the first time, Bulgaria was along with Frontex the joint organiser of a flight deporting foreigners, the country’s Interior Ministry said on September 24.

Those deported were individuals with lapsed grounds stay in the country or who had been given a final refusal to grant international protection and who did not wish to return voluntarily to their countries of origin, the ministry said.

The flight with from Sofia to Islamabad was on September 23, the statement said.

Partners in the police operation included the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Germany and Poland.

Those on the flight included 36 Pakistan nationals, including five deported from the Netherlands, seven each from Spain and Austria, one each from Germany and Poland and 15 from Bulgaria.

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The operation was organised and carried out by the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of Frontex, the ministry said.

The flight was provided with a medical team and a psychologist, and attended by independent observers who closely monitored the enforcement of the removal, as well as respect for human rights. Monitoring was carried out by Bulgarian experts and representatives of the Ombudsman, the statement said.

(Photos: Interior Ministry press centre)

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