Bulgaria - The social impact of seasonal migration

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The NSI declares that its experts have executed a monographic investigation of all the
migrants, but the results of it have not yet been published.
The considerable discrepancy between the size of Bulgarian out-migration established
through the two different methodological tools of NSI (border information and the censuses)
has not been addressed meaningfully in the expert literature. In the conclusion of his book
Out-migration of the population in Bulgaria, published in 2001, Kalchev reverts to the
border information trends, disregarding the census figures and regardless of the fact
that border observations ceased in 1996. His summary is that net migration from
Bulgaria for the period 1989-1996 is negative and is between 580-600 000 persons. For the
whole period of 1989-2000, the prognostic net migration should be 640-670 000, and this
number is calculated on the basis of expected immigration of 50-60 000 foreign citizens
to Bulgaria in 1996-2000 only (Kalchev 2001, 213-4). The discrepancy between the
statistical data does require explanation. On the one hand, it makes it impossible to
account correctly for the emigration flows from Bulgaria during the last decade. On the
other, it demonstrates the ultimate need of a unified methodology and closer
coordination between the institutions dealing with migration issues in order to be able
to establish with a better precision the size, direction and profile of migration flows.
There are no reliable data on the number of Bulgarian emigrants abroad per country either.
The State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, which is the state institution entitled to collect
data about and implement the governmental policy towards Bulgarians abroad, has no
concept of "emigrant" and works with the notion of "Bulgarians abroad". According to a
high-ranking official in the Agency (interview No. 1), the new law on Bulgarians living
outside of Bulgaria (of 11 April 2000) introduces the concept of "Bulgarian community
abroad". It is divided in 3 groups:
a) old, traditional, historical diaspora, consisting of the heirs of people who emigrated
before 1878, the year when Bulgaria gained its independence from the Ottoman empire,
and Bulgarians left outside of the boundaries of the state due to political reasons and
unsuccessful wars. Such are the Bulgarians in Bessarabia, Crimea, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Moldova, Romania, Northern Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia and Montenegro.
b) contemporary diaspora, formed during the 20th century. Those are economic and
sometimes political emigrants, who possessed Bulgarian citizenship at the time of
migration. They include emigrants after the two world wars, settled in Europe, North
and Latin America, Argentina, Australia, etc., and a newer diaspora, formed after 1989.
c) persons of non-Bulgarian origin, residing abroad, but who constitute part of the
Bulgarian national and cultural identity. Such are the Bulgarian Turks, Jews and Roma.
They had Bulgarian citizenship at the time of migration (and might still keep it), speak
the Bulgarian language and are of Bulgarian socio-cultural identity.
According to the Agency’s representative, there might appear a fourth group, too. Its
members would be people who are gradually turning to Bulgarian consciousness as a
result of their ancient roots, like the Bulgarians in Tatarstan for example.
The number of Bulgarians settled abroad after 1989 is not known, says the same
representative of the Agency, because there is no unequivocal concept of "emigrant".
The Bulgarian consular offices abroad cannot account for the size of the Bulgarian
communities there, for the migrants are not obliged to register at the Bulgarian
embassies. The Agency maintains contacts with 350 organisations of Bulgarians abroad,
yet completely disregards the problem with irregular Bulgarian citizens there.
According to its officials, the rights of such people should be exercised within the local