By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 05:12 EST, 5 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:13 EST, 5 January 2014 . Bulgaria has incited fury after banning foreigners from buying land - in the same week that its citizens gained the right to work anywhere in the EU. The country, which has seen restrictions lifted on 7.3million Bulgarians to live and work in Europe, has reinforced a ban stopping non-Bulgarian nationals from purchasing agricultural plots. But the move has prompted accusations of 'appalling hypocrisy' and breaches the agreement which let Bulgaria join the EU in the first place. 'Hypocrisy': Bulgaria has prompted fury among British MPs after banning foreigners from purchasing land in the same week its citizens gained the right to work in the EU . Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, does not support the ban, describing it as 'wrong' and has admitted the move could cause 'serious problems' for the country's image in Europe. Bulgaria's ban was due to expire on January 1, but rebel MPs passed a law in October among fears that land - which is ten times cheaper than elsewhere in central Europe - would be snapped up by foreign property investors. Despite the threat of hefty fines, the ban is due to remain until 2020 unless it is overturned by Bulgaria's constitutional court. Tory MP Nigel Mills, who is calling for tighter controls through an amendment to the Immigration Bill, told The Sun on Sunday: 'Bulgaria hasn't applied the obligations it signed up to. If It isn't satisfying all the terms of the treaty it doesn't deserve all the benefits.' An FCO spokesperson said: 'All EU countries are obliged to follow common EU rules. Those rules can be enforced by national courts. 'The European Commission and Bulgaria's president and prime minister have already made their views on this very clear.' Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Milliband today addressed 'understandable' public fears over the lifting of work restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians and said an influx of low-skilled migrant workers will make life harder. But while he backed stronger border controls and 'fair' benefit curbs, of more importance is ending the country's 'chronic dependency on low-skill, low-wage labour, he wrote in the Independent on Sunday. Ban: Bulgaria has banned all foreign developers from purchasing agricultural plots, which are up to ten times cheaper than the rest of central Europe . Among steps Labour would take if it won the 2015 general election would be ending the ability of unscrupulous bosses to undercut regular staff by paying agency workers lower wages, he said. The TUC claims agency staff are paid up to Â£135 a week less than permanent staff despite working in the same place and doing the same job because of a loophole in the Agency Workers' Directive. Migrants are over-represented among the estimated one million agency workers in the UK, especially in sectors such as call centres, food production and logistics. Mr Miliband said he would work with the business sector to end the practice. Public fears: Labour leader Ed Miliband has said low-skill immigration risks making wages lower in Britain . 'Unless we act to change our economy, low-skill immigration risks making the problems of the cost of living crisis worse for those at the sharp end. 'When millions of workers already have low pay and poor job security in Britain and we add high levels of low skilled migration mostly from within the EU, some benefit but some lose out.' He added: 'It isn't prejudiced to believe that.' Mr Miliband has conceded that the previous Labour administration was wrong not to impose transitional controls when Poland joined the EU - with far more arriving from there than anticipated. No official estimates have been given of the number of Romanians and Bulgarians likely to arrive in Britain, but amid claims they could number up to 50,000, Prime Minister David Cameron has rushed through measures restricting access to jobless benefits and NHS healthcare. They came in the face of demands from Tories fearful of the threat posed by the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, which is tipped to push the party into third place in May's European election. Mr Miliband wrote: 'Of course effective border control is important and while all the evidence is that most people come here to contribute, we need a benefits system that is seen to be fair. 'But this can only be a part of the solution because public concern about immigration is also a symptom of a deeper problem: an economy that no longer works for most working people.' The exit of Britain from the EU would however be 'a disaster', robbing the country of high-skilled foreign workers and forcing Britons working abroad to return home.
Non-Bulgarian nationals banned from buying agricultural plots .
Ban breaches agreement which allowed Bulgaria to join the EU .
Country accused of 'hypocrisy' in same week UK borders were opened .
Bulgarian president says ban could cause 'serious problems' for country .
Ed Miliband said public fears over immigration were 'understandable'
By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 05:12 EST, 5 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:13 EST, 5 January 2014 . Bulgaria has incited fury after banning foreigners from buying land - in the same week that its citizens gained the right to work anywhere in the EU. The country, which has seen restrictions lifted on 7.3million Bulgarians to live and work in Europe, has reinforced a ban stopping non-Bulgarian nationals from purchasing agricultural plots. But the move has prompted accusations of 'appalling hypocrisy' and breaches the agreement which let Bulgaria join the EU in the first place. 'Hypocrisy': Bulgaria has prompted fury among British MPs after banning foreigners from purchasing land in the same week its citizens gained the right to work in the EU . Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, does not support the ban, describing it as 'wrong' and has admitted the move could cause 'serious problems' for the country's image in Europe. Bulgaria's ban was due to expire on January 1, but rebel MPs passed a law in October among fears that land - which is ten times cheaper than elsewhere in central Europe - would be snapped up by foreign property investors. Despite the threat of hefty fines, the ban is due to remain until 2020 unless it is overturned by Bulgaria's constitutional court. Tory MP Nigel Mills, who is calling for tighter controls through an amendment to the Immigration Bill, told The Sun on Sunday: 'Bulgaria hasn't applied the obligations it signed up to. If It isn't satisfying all the terms of the treaty it doesn't deserve all the benefits.' An FCO spokesperson said: 'All EU countries are obliged to follow common EU rules. Those rules can be enforced by national courts. 'The European Commission and Bulgaria's president and prime minister have already made their views on this very clear.' Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Milliband today addressed 'understandable' public fears over the lifting of work restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians and said an influx of low-skilled migrant workers will make life harder. But while he backed stronger border controls and 'fair' benefit curbs, of more importance is ending the country's 'chronic dependency on low-skill, low-wage labour, he wrote in the Independent on Sunday. Ban: Bulgaria has banned all foreign developers from purchasing agricultural plots, which are up to ten times cheaper than the rest of central Europe . Among steps Labour would take if it won the 2015 general election would be ending the ability of unscrupulous bosses to undercut regular staff by paying agency workers lower wages, he said. The TUC claims agency staff are paid up to Â£135 a week less than permanent staff despite working in the same place and doing the same job because of a loophole in the Agency Workers' Directive. Migrants are over-represented among the estimated one million agency workers in the UK, especially in sectors such as call centres, food production and logistics. Mr Miliband said he would work with the business sector to end the practice. Public fears: Labour leader Ed Miliband has said low-skill immigration risks making wages lower in Britain . 'Unless we act to change our economy, low-skill immigration risks making the problems of the cost of living crisis worse for those at the sharp end. 'When millions of workers already have low pay and poor job security in Britain and we add high levels of low skilled migration mostly from within the EU, some benefit but some lose out.' He added: 'It isn't prejudiced to believe that.' Mr Miliband has conceded that the previous Labour administration was wrong not to impose transitional controls when Poland joined the EU - with far more arriving from there than anticipated. No official estimates have been given of the number of Romanians and Bulgarians likely to arrive in Britain, but amid claims they could number up to 50,000, Prime Minister David Cameron has rushed through measures restricting access to jobless benefits and NHS healthcare. They came in the face of demands from Tories fearful of the threat posed by the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, which is tipped to push the party into third place in May's European election. Mr Miliband wrote: 'Of course effective border control is important and while all the evidence is that most people come here to contribute, we need a benefits system that is seen to be fair. 'But this can only be a part of the solution because public concern about immigration is also a symptom of a deeper problem: an economy that no longer works for most working people.' The exit of Britain from the EU would however be 'a disaster', robbing the country of high-skilled foreign workers and forcing Britons working abroad to return home.
banning foreigners from buying land - in the same agricultural plots. But the move has prompted accusations of 'appalling hypocrisy' and breaches the agreement which let Bulgaria join the EU in foreigners from purchasing land in the same week admitted the move could cause 'serious problems' Milliband today addressed 'understandable' public Public fears: Labour leader Ed Miliband has said