According to the Deputy Justice Minister Ana Karaivanova, Bulgaria had to protect people from Bulgarian origin.

Karaivanova's statement came in response to a Sunday Telegraph article saying increasing number of foreigners were able to receive Bulgarian citizenship because of the corruption in the Bulgarian administration, Focus news agency reported.

Foreigners must present documents proving Bulgarian origin as well as a certificate showing no previous convictions in order to receive citizenship. Interior Ministry offices examined strictly all the documents, Karaivanova said.

The statement that foreigners would like Bulgarian citizenship only to be able to work in the EU was speculation, Karaivanova said. Most of the applications concerned mixed marriage children.