HOT: » Which party would you vote for (if you could) in the upcoming snap vote in Bulgaria on April 19?
Send to Kindle
Nikolay Chirpanliev. Photo by BGNES
Refugees living in Bulgaria are segregated like the local Roma population and do not wish to learn Bulgarian, the Bulgarian Refugee Agency (DAB)'s Chairman Nikolay Chirpanliev has said.
Chirpanliev told representatives of the organization FCJ Refugee Centre who visit Bulgaria on a yearly basis to prepare reports that most refugees did not want to stay in Bulgaria after having been granted status.
"Rich refugees want to go to Switzerland, Germany and Sweden and other European states, while here remain only the Kurds, who are a lot worse than our Gypsies [sic!]."
Asylum seekers who arrive in Bulgaria can only set off for other destinations within the EU after having received refugee status. However, most of those who cross the border are more often granted humanitarian status, which only allows them to remain on Bulgarian soil.
Chirpanliev, for his part, has become notorious over the past months for his insulting remarks about member of Human Rights Watch, calling them "morons".
Readers can find FCJ Refugee Centre's latest report here.
Four years after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, integrating Ukrainian refugees into Bulgarian society remains a complex and pressing challenge
Nearly 6,000 Syrians applied last year to return voluntarily to Syria under a program financed by Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
As of November 30, 2025, over 4.3 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine were under temporary protection across the European Union, according to Eurostat
Only 13 people survived and dozens remain missing after a vessel carrying 74 refugees, mostly from Sudan, capsized off the coast of Tobruk in eastern Libya on September 13, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Municipalities across the Netherlands have signaled that they are running out of capacity to accommodate additional Ukrainians seeking temporary protection in the country
US President Donald Trump has indicated that Ukrainian citizens who sought refuge in the United States due to the ongoing conflict may be permitted to remain in the country until the war concludes
The Bulgarian scientific research vessel “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” (NIC 421) has returned to Varna, docking at the Marine Station and marking the official end of the country’s 34th Antarctic expedition
Holiday weather conditions are expected to remain mixed across Bulgaria, with alternating periods of sunshine and rain showers, according to the forecast
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has decided that no official delegation will travel to Jerusalem this year to receive the Holy Fire, citing the ongoing tensions in the Middle East
Plovdiv will host the International Street Arts Festival 6Fest from April 20 to 26, 2026, turning the city into an open-air stage featuring performers from 11 countries across three continents
The Easter holiday getaway has officially begun in Bulgaria, with traffic leaving Sofia surging as thousands of people set off for the long weekend
Holy Thursday marks one of the most significant days in Holy Week, as Christians reflect on the final moments before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Aniventure Comic Con Returns to Bulgaria with Star Guest Christopher Judge!
Global Fuel Shock: Oil Jumps Over 40% Since Iran War Began
