Police in Bulgaria say they have begun removing a barbed wire fence along the border with Macedonia, which was put up during the communist era.

They say they have already removed fourteen-hundred land mines from the border area.

The moves are part of a government programme to establish border controls in line with other European countries.

Now there are plans to remove barbed wire at the border with Greece.

Correspondents say the border improvements are part of a larger effort to clear the last reminders of Bulgaria's communist past.