Nearly a Quarter Million Macedonians Are Now Bulgarian Citizens - Here’s Why

Over 216,000 citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia have received Bulgarian passports in the past 18 years. This was announced by Interior Minister Daniel Mitov, citing official data on the number of passports issued between January 1, 2007 and June 17, 2025.

In total, 216,594 Bulgarian passports have been issued to individuals who are also listed as having North Macedonian citizenship. Minister Mitov noted that the issuance of these documents stems from the acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by the applicants.

Under Bulgarian law, passports can only be granted to individuals who hold Bulgarian citizenship. The right to a passport is a basic entitlement enshrined in legislation, and can only be restricted in clearly defined circumstances laid out in the law. The legal basis for issuing Bulgarian passports is outlined in Section 4, Article 13(1)(2), Article 33(1), and Article 35(1) of the Law on Bulgarian Personal Documents.

Minister Mitov stressed that receiving a Bulgarian passport is not an arbitrary act, but one grounded in citizenship law. Those who acquire Bulgarian citizenship through the proper legal channels have every right to receive official documents proving their status.