The Refugee Crisis in Bulgaria and the Failure of Transformation to a Society of Humanity
The Refugee Crisis in Bulgaria and the Failure of Transformation to a Society of Humanity

Summary/Abstract: Much has been improved for refugees in Bulgaria since 2013 when the migrant crisis began. But the idea that every human, regardless of his or her status, has a dignity is still far away from the core of policy-making. Due to the climate of nationalism and social conservatism, which developed with the crises, Bulgaria – being a young EU member state – hinders the implementation of European values in the new democracy. It profiled itself in the European community by protecting its external frontiers with building walls and tightening measures against asylum seekers. The approach of the Bulgarian state is still shaped by the presumption that all asylum seekers are on their way to Western and Northern Europe. There are no efficient integration activities planned by the government regarding effective access to health, education and social services even for unaccompanied children and young people. Moreover, their lives and security are permanently at risk. – However, with growing ethnic and religious minorities in the country and simultaneously a dynamically shrinking population a break from ‘homogenizing and nationalizing’ the society is crucial for Bulgaria.

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