David Cameron has been accused of condoning officials' abuse of refugees.
On a visit with the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to the country’s border crossing Lesovo, which boasts a new razor wire security fence, Mr Cameron said there were “real lessons to be learned” by fellow EU countries.
However, he was immediately criticised due to the recent alleged abuse perpetrated by the Bulgarian border officials against refugees.
In October an Afghan refugee was killed trying to cross into Bulgaria from Turkey, allegedly the victim of ricochet from a warning shot fired by authorities.
Oxfam condemned Mr Cameron’s remarks in Bulgaria, warning that he was in danger of condoning ill-treatment of refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria .
Maya Mailer, Oxfam’s head of humanitarian policy, said: “Refugees who have crossed the Bulgaria border tell of extortion, robbery, physical violence, police dog attacks and threats of deportation at the hands of Bulgarian officials. In a recent survey of over 100 refugees all those who had some contact with Bulgarian police told of abuse.
“Desperate people who have fled Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq should be offered sanctuary not ill-treatment and abuse.
"European politicians should be careful of appearing to condone this abuse and should instead focus their efforts on providing safe and legal routes to safety for those fleeing war.”
Mr Cameron was speaking during a two-day visit to Bulgaria, where he will also meet President Plevneliev as part of his efforts to convince EU leaders to agree his planned renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the 28-state bloc.
Eastern European countries are the most opposed to Mr Cameron’s demand to bar EU migrants from access to in-work benefits for four years.
Speaking at Lesovo, a Bulgarian town on its border with Turkey, he said: "Britain has always maintained - and will always maintain - our own borders," he said.
"We are not in the border-free Schengen Zone.
"But it is important that Europe has strong external borders and here in Bulgaria you can see a prime minister and a government that is absolutely committed to that.
"They have got a sea border that they protect, they have got a land border with Turkey that they protect and I think there are real lessons to be learned here about (how) if you give it the priority you can get it done.
"So we should continue to support them with the important work they do."
