Diaspora Minister: Macedonians, Moldavians Race for Bulgarian Citizenship

Over 5000 foreigners have applied for a Bulgarian citizenship in the last year according to the Bulgarian Diaspora Minister Bozhidar Dimitrov. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria’s Minister for Bulgarians Bozhidar Dimitrov announced that over 5000 foreigners have obtained Bulgarian citizenship in the last year.

Diaspora Minister Dimitrov explained Friday that most of the approved applications (over 4 000) come from Macedonia and Moldova, while the remaining 1 000 are from Serbia, Ukraine and Israel.

“Recently there’s also been an increase in the number of candidates from Armenia, USA and Great Britain. The most exotic application we’ve received so far is from the Republic of Guinea” said Dimitrov, adding that more than 75 000 foreigners have been granted Bulgarian citizenship in the last 20 years.

According to Bulgaria’s diaspora minister, passport free travel in the EU zone is not the main reason for the boost in applications. “We have many US applicants who have asked to be granted Bulgarian citizenship because they’re married to Bulgarians and their spouse has insisted on it. The UK-born permanent Bulgarian residents are also 7000,” elaborated Dimitrov.

So far over 15 000 people from the Bulgarian minority in Moldova that amounts to 90 000 people have been granted citizenship - the increase is due to the Moldovian legislation which allows double citizenship.

Minister Dimitrov has already introduced in parliament amendments to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act, stating that “it is natural to give citizenship to those who wish to participate in the life of the country.”

The amendments to the Act will include granting Bulgarian citizenship in three months to those who have applied for it and have received their bachelors degree in Bulgaria. A certificate for Bulgarian origins will only be issued by the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad due to the many fake ones that have been circulating.

Dimitrov pointed out that from 250 total applications from Moldova 249 are fake, adding it did not mean those people are not Bulgarians, but they used the services of some shady businesses and have themselves become victims of fraud.

With the new Act, Bulgarians, those who lost their citizenship over historical events, like the ones living in places that were within Bulgaria's boundaries until 1944, would be able to reinstate it in six months.

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