Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Mysterious disappearances of Nepalese and Sri Lankan workers on the Black Sea coast

Sunny Beach
Photo: BTA

Four cases of third-country nationals - three from Nepal and one from Sri Lanka - who were employed by hotels in the Sunny Beach resort and then disappeared have been reported to police in Nessebar. According to Veselin Nalbantov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, these workers appear to have used Bulgaria as a gateway to Western Europe. 

"We find their clothes and passports, but they are gone. We assess their work and then they head west. It's a mystery how they crossed the border without passports," Nalbantov said, not ruling out the possibility of a human trafficking network. 

"It is possible that these workers were aware that they could use their entry into an EU country to move on through Europe, taking advantage of the Schengen zone. Like Bulgarians, foreigners seek better pay and working conditions," added Tsvetelina Randeva, spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in Bourgas.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Ivelin Mihaylov

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission probes 'Velichie' party in major property fraud case

Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating a large-scale property fraud and money laundering scheme connected to the 'Historical Park', which is associated with Ivelin Mihaylov, the leader of the Velichie party. Those arrested include the..

published on 11/26/25 2:30 PM
Boyko Borissov

Borissov cites EU defence adjustment to claim a 2026 deficit of 2.7%

The ruling party and the opposition argued about the procedure for the Budget Committee meeting before the final vote on the 2006 budget .  Assen Vassilev, chairman of the We Continue the Change party, attempted to block the committee’s extraordinary..

published on 11/26/25 2:15 PM

Agriculture and forestry workers protest for higher salaries

Employees in the agriculture and forestry sector staged a protest in front of the Parliament, demanding higher salaries for workers in departments that are secondary budget administrators. The protest was organized by the National Federation of..

published on 11/26/25 12:34 PM