THE almost two million-strong Bulgarian diaspora appears to be going into reverse as the country approaches EU integration and after it has become a part of the NATO alliance. The latest statistics released by the Interior Ministry show an increase of 12 per cent among foreigners who have crossed the borders of Bulgaria and a significant rise in applications for citizenship.
Almost 20 000 people, with the leading place held by Moldova, have applied for Bulgarian citizenship since the beginning of last year up to March this year. Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov released the data on June 10. Last year 13 359 people applied for Bulgarian passports and most of them were Moldavans (6124), and Macedonians (4165).
On May 31, the Justice Ministry said that the past four years had marked a sharp increase in applicants for Bulgarian citizenship by descent. These people do not come just from Moldova, Macedonia and Ukraine but also from other territories, where ethnic Bulgarians reside.
Deputy Minister of Justice Mario Dimitrov told Trud daily "We should probably ask ourselves whether Bulgarian citizenship is a matter of calling, pride and dignity of the person who is indeed of Bulgarian descent, or the object is merely the privileges that such citizenship can confer. In any case, Bulgarian descent must be proven".
The current rate of applications for citizenship is in comparison to statistics from 2000, when there were only 113 applications submitted by Macedonians. In 2003 this increased by 36 times. In the first five months of this year, 3824 Macedonians applied for Bulgarian passports.
Bulgarian citizenship was granted to 25 Macedonian citizens in 2000, to 1685 last year and to 746 since the beginning of 2004.
There were 10 734 applications for Bulgarian citizenship submitted in the first five months of 2004, compared to last year's 14 306 for the whole year. Of these 13 128 were applicants for acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by descent. Compared to 2002's figure of 7500 who applied for Bulgarian citizenship, in the past two years the number of applicants has almost doubled.
Those who give as a motive for their change of citizenship a sense of being Bulgarian need to prove it, according to Bulgaria's Aliens Act. Therefore, Bulgarian descent is proven by a document issued by a Bulgarian or a foreign state body, an organisation of expatriate Bulgarians recognised by the Bulgarian state body competent to maintain relations with them. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church could also testify to a person's Bulgarian descent. Persons who can produce such proof of Bulgarian descent could be given Bulgarian citizenship with a more eased procedure. They do not need to have been given a permanent residence permit for Bulgaria five years before the date of submission of the application. Further their application will be processed without having an income and occupation allowing him or her to live in Bulgaria. They will not be required a certificate of knowledge of Bulgarian language, and without having been released from his or her previous citizenship.
Applications by Macedonian citizens for acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by descent increased from 113 in 2000 to 1471 in 2001, 2405 in 2002, 4165 in 2003, and 3824 in the first five months this year. Moldavian citizens filed 171 applications in 2000, 613 in 2001, 1866 in 2002, 6124 in 2003, and 4083 in the first five months this year alone.
Citizens of other countries submitted 860 applications in 2000, 1422 in 2001, 1689 in 2002, 2839 in 2003, and 2302 since January 2004.
Citizens of 118 countries were granted permission to remain or reside on Bulgaria between March 2003 and March 2004. Of them 1685 had Turkish citizenship and 1270 were Russian passport holders.
As of January, Bulgarian citizenship has been granted to 1963 applicants: Macedonians (746) Moldavans (801), and 416 citizens of other countries. A total of 4173 applicants (1685 from Macedonia, 1172 from Moldova, and 1316 from other countries became Bulgarian citizens in 2003, up from 3210 in 2002, 940 in 2001, and 853 in 2000.
According to the report submitted by Petkanov and approved by Parliament, of the 19 million people who passed through Bulgaria's border checkpoints,12 million were foreigners.
Cases of illegal border crossing had decreased, Petkanov said. Prevented cases of illegal crossing of the border in 2002 numbered 669 and last year totalled 388.
Bulgaria still remains a transit country for trafficking of people.
The encouraging data might be due to the Migration Directorate with the Interior Ministry, exercising administrative control over the foreigners in Bulgaria was set up at the end of last year, in compliance with the road map for Bulgaria's accession to the EU and the updated plan for adoption of the Schengen legislation.
Their responsibilities have included issue, denial and revoking of foreigners' long-term presence permits, identification of illegal aliens and issue of documents required for the travel of the members of the foreign diplomatic missions in Bulgaria. The Migration Directorate has also been responsible, jointly with other competent establishments, for the prevention of, and fight against, illegal migration.
The amendments to the law also expand the scope of responsibility of the Border Police beyond the border area, in the cases where it is necessary for the prevention, solving and investigation of crimes connected with illegal migration and people trafficking.
According to records of registrations of residence, the largest concentration of foreign citizens in Bulgaria is registered in the capital Sofia, where 995 foreigners have filed for permanent residence, followed by Plovdiv with 271 and Varna 240. There are also foreigners living in Bourgas and Veliko Turnovo.
A total of 151 checks into the legal conformity of employment of foreigners in Bulgaria detected 60 violations.
"From the 73 foreign citizens who were expelled from the country none had planned a terrorist act," Petkanov said.
Meanwhile, last year a total of 2878 Bulgarian citizens were returned from abroad receiving a two-year prohibition to leave the country. Most of them were brought back from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.
Almost 20 000 people, with the leading place held by Moldova, have applied for Bulgarian citizenship since the beginning of last year up to March this year. Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov released the data on June 10. Last year 13 359 people applied for Bulgarian passports and most of them were Moldavans (6124), and Macedonians (4165).
On May 31, the Justice Ministry said that the past four years had marked a sharp increase in applicants for Bulgarian citizenship by descent. These people do not come just from Moldova, Macedonia and Ukraine but also from other territories, where ethnic Bulgarians reside.
Deputy Minister of Justice Mario Dimitrov told Trud daily "We should probably ask ourselves whether Bulgarian citizenship is a matter of calling, pride and dignity of the person who is indeed of Bulgarian descent, or the object is merely the privileges that such citizenship can confer. In any case, Bulgarian descent must be proven".
The current rate of applications for citizenship is in comparison to statistics from 2000, when there were only 113 applications submitted by Macedonians. In 2003 this increased by 36 times. In the first five months of this year, 3824 Macedonians applied for Bulgarian passports.
Bulgarian citizenship was granted to 25 Macedonian citizens in 2000, to 1685 last year and to 746 since the beginning of 2004.
There were 10 734 applications for Bulgarian citizenship submitted in the first five months of 2004, compared to last year's 14 306 for the whole year. Of these 13 128 were applicants for acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by descent. Compared to 2002's figure of 7500 who applied for Bulgarian citizenship, in the past two years the number of applicants has almost doubled.
Those who give as a motive for their change of citizenship a sense of being Bulgarian need to prove it, according to Bulgaria's Aliens Act. Therefore, Bulgarian descent is proven by a document issued by a Bulgarian or a foreign state body, an organisation of expatriate Bulgarians recognised by the Bulgarian state body competent to maintain relations with them. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church could also testify to a person's Bulgarian descent. Persons who can produce such proof of Bulgarian descent could be given Bulgarian citizenship with a more eased procedure. They do not need to have been given a permanent residence permit for Bulgaria five years before the date of submission of the application. Further their application will be processed without having an income and occupation allowing him or her to live in Bulgaria. They will not be required a certificate of knowledge of Bulgarian language, and without having been released from his or her previous citizenship.
Applications by Macedonian citizens for acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by descent increased from 113 in 2000 to 1471 in 2001, 2405 in 2002, 4165 in 2003, and 3824 in the first five months this year. Moldavian citizens filed 171 applications in 2000, 613 in 2001, 1866 in 2002, 6124 in 2003, and 4083 in the first five months this year alone.
Citizens of other countries submitted 860 applications in 2000, 1422 in 2001, 1689 in 2002, 2839 in 2003, and 2302 since January 2004.
Citizens of 118 countries were granted permission to remain or reside on Bulgaria between March 2003 and March 2004. Of them 1685 had Turkish citizenship and 1270 were Russian passport holders.
As of January, Bulgarian citizenship has been granted to 1963 applicants: Macedonians (746) Moldavans (801), and 416 citizens of other countries. A total of 4173 applicants (1685 from Macedonia, 1172 from Moldova, and 1316 from other countries became Bulgarian citizens in 2003, up from 3210 in 2002, 940 in 2001, and 853 in 2000.
According to the report submitted by Petkanov and approved by Parliament, of the 19 million people who passed through Bulgaria's border checkpoints,12 million were foreigners.
Cases of illegal border crossing had decreased, Petkanov said. Prevented cases of illegal crossing of the border in 2002 numbered 669 and last year totalled 388.
Bulgaria still remains a transit country for trafficking of people.
The encouraging data might be due to the Migration Directorate with the Interior Ministry, exercising administrative control over the foreigners in Bulgaria was set up at the end of last year, in compliance with the road map for Bulgaria's accession to the EU and the updated plan for adoption of the Schengen legislation.
Their responsibilities have included issue, denial and revoking of foreigners' long-term presence permits, identification of illegal aliens and issue of documents required for the travel of the members of the foreign diplomatic missions in Bulgaria. The Migration Directorate has also been responsible, jointly with other competent establishments, for the prevention of, and fight against, illegal migration.
The amendments to the law also expand the scope of responsibility of the Border Police beyond the border area, in the cases where it is necessary for the prevention, solving and investigation of crimes connected with illegal migration and people trafficking.
According to records of registrations of residence, the largest concentration of foreign citizens in Bulgaria is registered in the capital Sofia, where 995 foreigners have filed for permanent residence, followed by Plovdiv with 271 and Varna 240. There are also foreigners living in Bourgas and Veliko Turnovo.
A total of 151 checks into the legal conformity of employment of foreigners in Bulgaria detected 60 violations.
"From the 73 foreign citizens who were expelled from the country none had planned a terrorist act," Petkanov said.
Meanwhile, last year a total of 2878 Bulgarian citizens were returned from abroad receiving a two-year prohibition to leave the country. Most of them were brought back from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.
