Bulgarian MPs Scrap 'Expat' Bill

The Bulgarian MPs decided to not go ahead with a controversial Bill aiming at regulating relations between the State and the diaspora. File photo

The Bulgarian Parliament has decided to withdraw the first reading of the much-debated Act for Bulgarians and Bulgarian Communities Abroad.

The Bill was drafted with the ambitions to regulate relations between Bulgarians abroad and the State, but was withdrawn under pressure from the Public Councils of Bulgarians Abroad.

The representatives of the Bulgarian diaspora insist it does not make sense to examine such legislation before the meeting of Bulgarians abroad in Brussels in November, organized on the initiative of the Bulgarian presidential office.

One of the main flaws of the text is its definition of Bulgarians abroad not as Bulgarian citizens, but as "individuals with Bulgarian self-awareness."

The expats further stress that this law will affect 1.5 million of them and another 1.5 million of people with Bulgarian roots outside the country, however, no one has asked them to even discuss it.

According to Stefan Manov, representative of the Public Councils living in France, who spoke for Darik radio, the legislation mainly aims at securing the status quo of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad. It places under the same denominator emigrants, people with Bulgarian origins and people who pretend to have such origins.

The expats are also skeptical that this Act will solve the issue with their representation before the Bulgarian institutions.

The Parliament has not rescheduled the debates on the draft Bill, but the Public Councils will submit an official statement and, most likely, their own draft.

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