In 2018, according to the recently published statistics by the State agency for Refugees (SAR), 2.536 first-time applications were applied to Bulgaria. Therefrom 81,7 % were men, 33,2 % were underaged and 19,0 % were unaccompanied minors. In the same period of time 317 people got a refugee status (15%) and 413 people obtained subsidiary protection (20%). Noticeable is that applicants that are not from Syria had only bad chances for a status approval.
The in January 2019 released report of the European Refugee Council underlined that the European Commission published on the 8th of November 2018 a press release, in which it states the violation against european law, because of the insufficient accommodation and juridical representation of unaccompanied refugees. The commission states also worries relating to the deficient identifying and support of vulnerable asylum seekers, the generally access to legal aid and the imprisonment of refugees. If Bulgaria not acts within the next two months (from November 2018 on), the infringement procedure may be moved to a second stage.
Meanwhile UNHCR Serbia published in his last report (from 26th November till 16th December 2018) an increase of the influx of migrants from Bulgaria to 37%.