UK MPs have expressed fears that the nearing EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania may bring about a further increase in the already rising numbers of people illegally trafficked to the country, The Herald reported.

Trafficking in persons in the country is on the rise and the MPs are worried that if the government doesn't crack down on the criminals before the the two Balkan countries join the Union, it might be too late afterwards.

The UK Foreign Office has published an annual report on human trafficking, pointing out that Bulgaria has helped dismantle several trafficking networks over the year, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Cited in: Sofia News Agency, UK: Bulgaria, Romania's EU Entry To Bring Human Trafficking Rise, 13 October, 2006