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Bulgaria
Immigration in Bulgaria differs from Western Europe, the USA and other developed countries. The phenomenon started later in Bulgaria and the number of migrants is still small in comparison to other European countries. Nevertheless, migration is now a part of Bulgarian society. The free movement of people became one of the main characteristics of democratic freedom. Migration flows have three basic dimensions: emigration, immigration and refugees. Emigration is mainly of Turks due to political and later to economic reasons, and of highly skilled specialists and young Bulgarians who chose to emigrate to Western Europe, the USA and Canada. Immigration involves mainly migrants from the Near and Middle East, Afghanistan, China, and people from the former Yugoslav and Soviet republics. Migrants such as Syrians, Lebanese, Iraqis, Kurds, and Afghans are not new to Bulgaria, as there was migration from these countries in the 1960s and 1970s. Refugees represent the third element of migration flows, and they have increased 10-fold in the last 10 years, although their total number, however, is not very high compared to other European countries. IMIR’s latest research found refugees to be a potential source of new migrants to Bulgaria (Krasteva, 2005).
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IMIR
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International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations,
55, 'Antim Parvi' St., Sofia 1303,
Bulgaria
Tel: +359 (2) 8323-112
Fax: +359 (2) 931-0583 |
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