Mysterious disappearances of Nepalese and Sri Lankan workers on the Black Sea coast

Four cases of third-country nationals - three from Nepal and one from Sri Lanka - who were employed by hotels in the Sunny Beach resort and then disappeared have been reported to police in Nessebar. According to Veselin Nalbantov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, these workers appear to have used Bulgaria as a gateway to Western Europe.

"We find their clothes and passports, but they are gone. We assess their work and then they head west. It's a mystery how they crossed the border without passports," Nalbantov said, not ruling out the possibility of a human trafficking network.

"It is possible that these workers were aware that they could use their entry into an EU country to move on through Europe, taking advantage of the Schengen zone. Like Bulgarians, foreigners seek better pay and working conditions," added Tsvetelina Randeva, spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in Bourgas.