The UK is to donate military vehicles to the Bulgarian government to help police its borders despite allegations that the Balkan state allows human rights abuses against migrants.
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has authorised handing over 40 Land Rovers that will be used to capture and return refugees at the country’s borders with Turkey and Serbia.
The decision has angered human rights campaigners who claim that Bulgaria’s law enforcement officials are summarily returning asylum seekers and migrants to Turkey, often after beating and robbing them.
In October, an Afghan asylum seeker was shot dead by a Bulgarian border guard after entering from Turkey. The Bulgarian authorities claim he died after a warning shot ricocheted and hit him.
There will be speculation that the gift may have been agreed in December when David Cameron visited Bulgaria to drum up support for a UK opt-out of welfare payments for EU migrants.
Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for the government to withdraw the offer immediately. He said: “It is deeply concerning that we are providing British military equipment to facilitate the Bulgarian state’s unlawful attacks on refugees. Creating safe and legal routes that prevent people from making journeys on land across Europe does not equate to endorsing violent attacks on or robbery of refugees.
“The prime minister should think long and hard about his growing reputation as a man who will push all human rights aside in the pursuit of his political agenda.”
Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many from Syria, Africa and Afghanistan, have been making their way from Turkey to the Balkans in recent months, in a bid to reach Germany, Sweden and other EU states. Many migrants opt to travel through the Balkans, afraid of the sea crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands.
A written ministerial statement issued last week by Fallon said the government would hand over the Land Rovers in May following a specific Bulgarian request.
“The gift comprises 40 Defender Tithonus Land Rovers totalling £443,000 including transportation by the civilian contractor. The cost will be borne by the Conflict Stability and Security Fund,” he wrote.
Cameron visited the Turkish/Bulgarian border in December with his counterpart, Boyko Borissov, and praised the hardline tactics of the Bulgarian government. Borissov has faced international criticism after erecting a 20-mile (30km) razor-wire fence along a section of its 160-mile border with Turkey.
“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,” he said.
In November, an Oxfam report accused the Bulgarian authorities of brutality towards migrants and cited numerous cases of alleged police beatings and extortion. Collated by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights and sponsored by Oxfam, the report highlighted the dangers faced by migrants both near the Turkish-Bulgarian border and later as they try to cross into Serbia.
A group of about 10 refugees, who were interviewed for the report, claimed they witnessed a police officer holding a gun to a refugee’s forehead.
Human Rights Watch last month alleged that summary abuses and theft by Bulgarian border guards have continued for three years, despite being repeatedly highlighted. Steve Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee expert, accused the UK government of making a reckless decision to help a government that allows its border guards to beat people, rob them and illegally push them back across borders.
“It is irresponsible to equip the Bulgarian authorities in this way with no effort to ensure these abuses stop and international human rights standards are met – including access to asylum procedures. It increases the risk of harm to refugees from conflict and persecution and plays into the hands of the smugglers exploiting them,” he said.
On Monday, Cameron announced that the Royal Navy was deploying the amphibious landing ship RFA Mounts Bay as the first UK contribution to the Nato deployment in the Aegean Sea.
A government spokesman defended handing over the Land Rovers to Bulgaria. He said: “The government’s focus is on securing a comprehensive solution to the refugee crisis, tackling the consequences as well as the root causes. The gifting of the Land Rovers will help Bulgaria keep its borders safe. We expect all member states to meet their obligations and comply with international standards.”
A spokesman for the Bulgarian government did not reply to emails requesting a comment.