Parliament Endorses Construction of Border Fence without Tender


Sofia, January 21 (BTA) - Parliament voted Wednesday to allow
the construction of a fence along the Bulgarian-Turkish border
without a tender. The fence is expected to deter an influx of
refugees attempting to cross the national green border.

The decision was enacted by revisions to the Public Procurement
Act proposed by the ruling majority.

Explaining why his Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - Left
Bulgaria supported the revisions, MP and former Defence Minister
Angel Naydenov said that every day of delaying the construction
of the fence puts an additional burden on the people protecting
the border, increases the costs for Bulgaria and the risks to
national security.

The former Defence Minister called for stronger mechanisms to
control the spending of the money and ensure transparency of the
procedures.

Rosen Petrov of Bulgarian Democratic Centre spoke in support of
the revisions and said that a delay would have been "deadly for
our country".

The head of the parliamentary defence committee, Gen, Miho
Mihov, said that migration pressure is systematic for Bulgaria.
He sees the border fence as a message to the Middle and Far
East, and Africa that Bulgaria is serious about enforcing the
border crossing rules.

Gen. Mihov argued that the regional governors of Bourgas, Yambol
and Haskovo should be involved in the construction of the
border fence so as to ensure greater transparency.

He criticized the Interior Ministry for overlooking the problem
with illegal border crossings and said that while his ABV group
supports the legal revisions, it believes that they will not
solve the whole problem.