DAY 166
Joanne (USA) and Alex (Germany).
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Malika (France), taking advantage of every free moment to write notes for the book about the CMFA.
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Denis (Germany) preparing vests for the security team.
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Morning workout by Anna and Herman.
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Civil march circle, an almost daily tradition to commemorate victims of wars.
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Civil march circle, an almost daily tradition to commemorate victims of wars.
cmfacivilmarchforaleppobulgariajune166accommodationismahanjoannemalikaalexannahermanvillapirenya
Civil march circle, an almost daily tradition to commemorate victims of wars.
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Group picture at the gate to Villa Pirenya, before leaving.
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Couple of minutes after we left Villa Pirenya we were stopped by Bulgarian police control. Diligent officers checked our passports througfully. Bulgaria police road checkpoint. We spent 45 minutes to wait until all the passport are checked. If there is a proof for a 'Two-Speed' Europe, than Bulgaria is definitely in the loosing team. The police force in the Balkan country has been the target of frequent accusations of corruption and mismanagement despite attempts by various governments to improve the quality of officers and intense training.
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Old advert Iwanowo.
Going to the police station. Bulgarian police stopped us in the moddle of the field and controlled our passports. They demanded all the group to gather in one place, what meant waiting for rest of the team and the cars. We waited and all together drove to Charmanli police department for a compulsory meeting.
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In front of the Charmanli municipality. In 2013 the residents of this southern Bulgarian town opposed the establishment of a tent camp for 1000 refugees.
Mihail Liskov, Harmanli Mayor told to bTV: "They worry about epidemics and the increase in criminal acts. Who will pay the hospital if an epidemic breaks out,". Agass in 2017 the approach changed even to worse.cmfacivilmarchforaleppobulgariajune166ismahancharmanlijoannealexannawikahermanpolicelisaRgroup
Bulgaria registered 19,418 asylum applications last year, mainly from Afghan, Syrians and Iraqi nationals. Yet Afghans have overwhelmingly seen their claims rejected, as they have been treated as a “manifestly unfounded” nationality by the State Agency for Refugees (SAR) in 2016. Only 2.5% of Afghan asylum seekers received a positive decision in Bulgaria. / asylumineurope.org
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In 2016 took place the unrest in the camp. It happened two days after the authorities sealed it off to prevent anyone leaving following wrong local media reports that the migrants were carrying infectious diseases. The camp was closed which caused huge riots..As we passed with Ismahan along the wall came the chief of local police and blackmailed us with fake accusations for throwing (smuggling and selling) drugs to refugees through the hole in the wall. After that we let go and crossed to the other part of the street.
Unofficial meeting with refugges, just outside the Charmanli camp. Many people observing the march expressed their critical opinions and anxiey that CMFA is pointless and its just a whim of spoiled Europeans. Another "children's crusade". But we asked Syrians what do they think about it: and they answered: "you bring us hope, we don't know how to thank you for what you're doing."
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It usually took some time, before people understood and accepted the fact, that we actually WALK the whole way. Just a simple information seemed just not be able to reach people's mind! Approximately after 10minutes of conversation people actually started to understood that we don't use any other means of transport than our own feet.
CMFA leafets and the book.
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