In a letter to European leaders, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen states that the Bulgarian-Turkish border should be a priority in strengthening the EU’s key external borders through targeted measures which are open to other interested member countries. The letter comes in anticipation of the special European Council meeting on migration in Brussels on 9 and 10 February.

The EC President’s words do not tally with a statement by European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. Addressing the Foreign Affairs Council Ylva Johansson stated that the European Commission was against financing the fence between Bulgaria and Turkey, adding that the member countries had cut the budget she had proposed for external border security.