1. Module 2 - Laws and Rules
Comenius project “Mind the Gap – Migration Needs Integration”
(2008-2010)
Fourth Language School “Frederic Joliot-Curie”, Varna

2. National Strategy on Migration and Integration,
developed for the period from 2008 to 2015
 The current migration situation in Bulgaria has the characteristic
features typical of the EU Member States acceded from Southern Europe,
which had turned soon from countries of emigration into countries attracting
immigrants.
 The Bulgarian immigration policy is applied in support of economic
development. The national interest on this issue requires active efforts to
attract foreign citizens of Bulgarian origin in the first place. Legislative
initiatives are to be adopted in this direction in order to improve the
opportunities for their settlement, education, or labor in Bulgaria.

3.  Bulgaria takes into account the multi-aspect nature of the migration and
integration of immigrants. The reception of economic immigrants is an integral part
of the set of integration measures, on the one hand, as well as the measures to
combat illegal immigration and illegal employment, on the other hand.
 The Bulgarian migration policy, which is based on the principles of the protection
of the human rights of the migrants, of the democracy and on the supremacy of the
law, leads to the respect, tolerance and estimation of the positive contribution of the
migrants as a part of the Bulgarian society.
 Basic Principles for the Strategy Implementation
- Legitimacy, expediency and efficiency
- Transparency;
- Flexibility;
- Partnership;
- Monitoring and Control.

4. STRATEGIC GOAL 1
Attraction of persons with Bulgarian citizenship, living on the
territory of other countries, as well as of persons of Bulgarian
origin with Foreign Citizenship – for permanent return and
settlement in the Republic of Bulgaria
Steps:
- adoption of new laws related to the acquisition of Bulgarian
citizenship, identity documents, civil registration, Law for Foreign
Nationals in the Republic of Bulgaria, Law for Bulgarians living
outside the Republic of Bulgaria;
- information support;
-coordination among the institutions involved in the permanent settlement process
and the mechanisms for the integrated management of this process;
-creation of a favorable social and psychological climate for the integration of
immigrants of Bulgarian origin.

5. PRIORITY I:
Permanent return to the country of the persons with Bulgarian Citizenship
living on the territory of other countries
Measure
Program for permanent return to the country of persons with Bulgarian
Citizenship living on the territory of other countries
PRIORITY II:
Permanent attraction and settlement in the country of persons with
Bulgarian origin and Foreign Citizenship.
Measure
Program for permanent attraction and settlement in the country of persons
with Bulgarian origin and Foreign Citizenship.

6. STRATEGIC GOAL II: Realization and implementation of adequate policy on
acceptance and integration of foreigners and application of efficient control of the
migration processes.
PRIORITY I: Balanced acceptance of foreigners and achieving of successful
integration of the accepted foreigners.
-Direction I: Legislation – Review, Analysis and Updating
-Direction II: Identification of the labor market needs of labor
force, which is unavailable permanently at the Bulgarian Labor
Market.
-Direction III: Regulated acceptance of foreigners –
identification of mechanisms for acceptance and integration of
Third Country Nationals.
-Direction IV: Implementation of consistent and stable policy
on refugees, seeking asylum or protection.
PRIORITY II: Reaching controlled migration and fighting against illegal immigration
-Direction I: Effective control of the external borders.
-Direction II: Effective fighting the trafficking of people
-Direction III: Repatriation policy .

7. The full integration of third country nationals into the
Bulgarian society is achieved with the purposeful support of the
institutions responsible for the reception of the immigrants,
media, local authorities, workers’ and employers’ organizations,
nongovernmental organizations, the academic community,
etc.
In Bulgaria already operates successfully the National Program for the
Integration of Refugees. The program is a reliable instrument which could be
adjusted to and implemented even in a larger scale – in relation to larger groups of
immigrants.
Basic language, historical, and civil knowledge are acquired by means of
specialized courses on social adaptation and cultural orientation whose main aim is
to “assemble” the most appropriate “toolkit” to start the integration process.
Participation in such programs enables immigrants to find quickly their place in key
fields such as job, accommodation, education and health, to orient themselves in a
better way in the administrative system and assists the beginning of a long-term
process of adaptation to the Bulgarian society while preserving their cultural and
ethnic identity.

8. Thank you for the attention!
Bulgarian MINT Project Team
Fourth Language School “Frederic Joliot-Curie”, Varna
February 2010
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.