Refugee Crisis Bulgarian Style
Published in HautNews
Category: World News/ Commentary
How to deal with thousands of refugees is still the question with no answer for many European countries. Bulgaria introduces the unusual solution.
“Dear Immigrants, Welcome to Bulgaria! No Jobs. No Money. No Future. Proceed Back. Thank You”
With these words Bulgaria welcomes refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. The billboard is stretched above the highway, right on the Bulgarian border. It looks exactly like any other welcome sign, except, the message is very unusual.
Some people consider this a joke, and find it very offensive. Human suffering is no laughing matter. Actually, Bulgarians are not laughing, they are simply telling the truth.
This distant cousin of the wealthy Europe, situated in the eastern Balkans, is still undergoing the transformation agony. The transition from communism to market economy has been very difficult. Despite the economic growth over the last 15 years Bulgaria is deeply in financial troubles.
“Only the first quarter of this year, the national public debt increased by 934 million euros. The debt reached 29.60 percent of GDP in Bulgaria.”
The International Monetary Fund expects the Bulgarian economy to grow this year only 1.1 percent. Connection to the unstable Greek economy plays also a very important role. The top three banks (out of 10) in Bulgaria are owned by Greek lenders, who hold around 20 percent of Bulgarian deposits. The export depends on Greece for about 7 percent, etc. We do not need to mention how Greek economy is doing at the moment.
Unemployment has done its part. Since Bulgaria has become a member of the European Union and its citizens permitted to move freely, many have left the country. According to the “People and Countries” every third Bulgarian has a relative or friend living and working abroad. Surveys show that another 15 percent of the population is also ready to go. It explains everything.
Bulgaria found the unique but very strange way to deal with the refugee crisis. Whatever we might think about this, it seems to be working for immigrants. They would rather go someplace else.
Photo by: Peter Be
/For the original billboard photo please see the Sources/Kurir/
Sources: Kurir | World Bank
