A Syrian girl at Bulgaria's shelter for migrants near Lyubimets. Photograph: AFP/Getty
About 100 people are arriving at Bulgaria's border with Turkey daily, and the numbers are rapidly increasing. In the past, Bulgaria received, on average, 1,000 migrants and asylum seekers per year. This year, more than 6,500 have arrived, leaving officials scrambling to find housing and funds to accommodate them.
While the Bulgarian government is struggling to manage what it calls a crisis, civil society groups are stepping in to fill the gap. Still, an increasing number of migrants and asylum seekers are living on the streets or in makeshift accommodation. Asylum seekers can waive their right to shelter and a stipend if they state they can support themselves and produce a document proving they have an external address.
