A recent report by Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, has concluded that Bulgarian authorities were responsible for the deaths of three Egyptian teenagers who succumbed to hypothermia near the Bulgaria-Turkey border in December 2023. The teenagers, aged 15, 16, and 17, were found unconscious in the snow near Burgas after NGOs repeatedly alerted Bulgarian emergency services about their life-threatening situation. Despite receiving multiple alerts, the authorities failed to act promptly, leading to the tragic outcome. The report highlights that the authorities had sufficient information to infer the severity of the situation and the capacity to intervene but neglected to implement adequate measures. Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Office (FRO) expressed deep concern over the repeated allegations of improper responses to distress calls by Bulgarian border police, which often involve violent pushbacks and inhumane treatment of migrants. The FRO recommended that Frontex increase its presence and involvement in border surveillance and search and rescue operations. However, NGOs criticized the agency for using the incident to expand its influence in Bulgaria, accusing it of complicity in the same practices as the Bulgarian Border Police. The report also noted that the authorities’ inaction violated the right to life enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and failed to fulfill child protection obligations. This incident underscores the broader issue of migrant deaths and violence along the Balkan route, exacerbated by EU-funded border fortifications and increased impunity of border police. Since Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen zone in January 2024, the government has pledged to strengthen border controls, raising concerns about further violations of migrant rights.