The video was allegedly shot in Strandja, a mountainous area near the Turkish border, the Bulgarian BTV news website reported. It shows vigilantes arresting three migrants and tying their hands behind their backs as they lie on the ground in a wood. At least one of the vigilantes is armed with a machete. He is heard telling the refugees: “No Bulgaria – go back [to] Turkey”.
Bulgaria has erected a razor-wire fence along 95km of its 269-km border with Turkey.
Bulgarian border police chief Antonio Angelov, quoted by BTV, said such an arrest of migrants was illegal. However, an opinion poll conducted for the Bulgarian National television BNT showed that 84% of the viewers supported the idea that vigilantes should be recognized by the government. Only 16% said they were against. An earlier poll showed that 80% of Bulgarians consider refugees to be a “national threat”.
The three refugees appear absolutely frightened and are not resisting the arrest. “Any help for the police, for the border police and for the state is welcome. I thanked them [the vigilantes], I sent the director of the border police to meet with them, so that they coordinate their information. This is our common state. Anyone who helps deserves thanks” Boyko Borissov said.
He retracted after several human rights’ groups reacted to his comments, adding that citizens should not abuse their rights.
The vigilantes appearing on the video have remained anonymous, but another vigilante, Dinko Valev, gained international spotlight for “hunting” migrants. “Bulgaria needs people like me, dignified Bulgarians, willing to defend their homeland” he said proving that this is not a unique incident at the borders, rather than a pattern now.
The president of the Bulgarian branch of the Helsinki Committee (BHC) Krasimir Kanev said “these images (show) the most brutal citizen's arrest so far in Bulgaria. The prosecution must open a probe immediately” warning that a failure to act by the authorities would only encourage such acts.