The population of Bulgaria stands at around 8 million, with a falling birthrate and a high level of emigration.

Present-day Bulgarians developed from three main ethnic groups: the Thracians, Bulgars (or Proto Bulgarians) and Slavs. The genetic make up of these three very different ethnic groups originating from very different parts of Europe and Asia, merged over the centuries tocreate the Bulgarian type seen today: predominantly dark haired and dark eyed with an olive complexion, medium height and build.

Most Bulgarians acknowledge the Orthodox faith, though in southern regions of the country there are also sizeable Muslim communities, many originating from Turkey. The Pomaks in the Rhodopi region are ethnic Bulgarians who converted to the Islamic faith in the 16th century under Ottoman rule. There are also significant Armenian and Jewish communities.

On the whole Bulgarians are peace loving, living in harmony with their neighbours and there is very little racial tension. However the Roma community, making up 3% of the population, is still seriously discriminated against and occasionally violent confrontations erupt in their ghettos.

Racial prejudice against people of Asian or African origin may also be experienced.

Following nearly 45 years of communist rule Bulgaria reverted to democracy and a market economy in 1990, modelling itself on the capitalist West. Progress has been slow, however, and the country’s political and economic history has not proved so easy to sweep under the carpet.

Over the last 15 years corruption and organised crime have made it easy for the crooked to become wealthy. Academics, artists and those with high moral values fared the worst. Even so, it is now possible for those with a good business sense or those with foreign language skills to find a good job and business prospects and so the balance is gradually being readdressed.

In many ways, and for a variety of reasons, not least economic, the extended family still exists in Bulgaria. Couples usually get married by their mid twenties and have one child. Both partners usually hold down full time jobs, while retired grandparents help look after the child. In many cases three generations live under one roof. In recent years there has also been an increase in the number of second children being born, often up to ten years after the first, which is perhaps a reflection of society's optimism?

Back to School

The majority of Bulgarian children attend state school, which is free, except for the schoolbooks and materials that have to be purchased. Since 1989 there has been an ever-growing number of private schools but many parents are still reluctant to take the risk of sending their children to schools without a proven track record.

Most state schools operate in two shifts with children either on morning or afternoon shift. Usual hours are Monday to Friday 8am till 1pm or 1pm till 6pm. For those children whose parents are full time at work, there is a care facility known as zanimalnia where children are fed, and their homework supervised. Needless to say these places are in huge demand. Overall the academic standard of schools is high, even if teaching methods are still very traditional, with not much consideration for children with special needs or attention deficit. Schooling is broadly divided into the following stages: Primary 1^st – 4^th, Basic 5^th – 7^th, Secondary 8^th – 12^th, with children starting first grade aged seven. As children move to the basic classes parents are forced to spend hard earned money on private tuition fees so that their child may be one of the successful applicants at one of Sofia’s highly coveted grammar schools. Admission is based on academic performance and there are different schools with different strengths, e.g. mathematics, English, French, German, ancient languages, etc.

The top grade in Bulgarian schools is a six, declining down to one.

The Bulgarian school year usually starts on 15^th September. Children take flowers for their teachers, there is a brief blessing by a priest and some sort of entertainment programme put on by the pupils.

Youth

A large percentage of young Bulgarians go onto further education and many still aspire to emigrating one day.

Although many leave Bulgaria to study abroad, most would prefer to return to Bulgaria after they finish their education, if they are able to make good careers here.

Their reasons for wanting to study and work abroad are not that different from the reasons that people all over the world travel and emigrate: better educational and career opportunities, standard of living, adventure, language and international experience.

Optimistically, they explain the problems they see in Bulgaria in terms of what needs to be changed: decreasing crime and corruption, improving street safety and cleanliness, better education and career opportunities. Although pessimistic about politics, many are optimistic that joining the European Union will help bring about these changes.

Graduation from school is a big deal here and in recent years seems to have gone over the top. For days on end in May, life in the city is interrupted by cars horns blaring and youngsters screeching as they hang daringly out of car windows, swigging back the bubbly to celebrate the end of their school days. There seems to be a real show-off element with flashy cars and expensive gowns, never mind the endless days of celebration and total disregard for the safety of all concerned. Hey guys – wake up – it’s only the end of school.

Military Service is 9 months for most recruits. For university graduates just 6 months. Alternative service is 2 years.

Women

Although most of the top jobs in Bulgaria are still held by men, it would be fair to say that the women are the real backbone of the country. Many are highly skilled, talented, and not afraid of hard work. Most women go to work full time as well as managing the home. Their energy and enthusiasm has brought them success in recent years not only in the world of politics but also in the business world. Some professions such as teaching are predominantly female.

Home Ownership

One of the best things that happened to Bulgarians under communism was probably the fact that they were able to purchase their own homes and so a large percentage of the population owns at least one property. Many who live in the city still have family in the rural villages and so even when times were/are hard they had the advantage of no rent to pay as well as a regular supply of staples from the villages.

Healthcare

The current state of healthcare in Bulgaria is backward and under-funded, even though the medical profession is well trained and highly skilled. Long waiting lists and poor hygienic conditions as well as low staff morale means that those who can afford it are turning to the numerous private clinics that are have sprung up in the last ten years. The level of preventative health care awareness is also poor, although in recent years there have been active campaigns to draw people’s attention to various forms of preventable illnesses including breast cancer, Aids, etc.

Bulgarians are a nation of heavy smokers and drinkers and it comes as no surprise that the country has an alarmingly high rate of heart attacks especially in the 40+ male age group.

Orphanages

One of the biggest black marks against Bulgaria has been and still is the proportionally large number of children in social institutions, generally referred to as orphanages. In fact only a small percentage of these children are actually genuine orphans and currently there is much political debate on how to improve and speed up their integration into society. More emphasis is to be made on placing children with relatives, friends and Bulgarian families.

A large percentage of children currently in state care are of Roma origin, whose parents are still alive. They do not actually release the children for adoption, and many are claimed back by their parents once they are old enough to contribute to the family income. On the other hand there are also a lot of children with disabilities in social care and these include a large number of Bulgarian children whose parents are also alive. Bulgarians who adopt still prefer ‘white – perfect’ children, and the waiting period for Bulgarian couples that want a healthy baby is shorter than a full term pregnancy.

If you are genuinely interested in adopting a Bulgarian child, be sure to contact your embassy first for guidance.

People with disabilities

A sad reflection on Bulgarian society and a remnant from communist times is the institutionalisation and discrimination against people with disabilities, generally still referred to as invalids. Children born with disabilities were often placed into institutions either because families were ashamed or just because they did not have the means and support to raise their children within the community. Adults with disabilities are classified as sick and therefore have trouble finding employment. They receive a pitifully low income support. Accident victims who find themselves suddenly in wheelchairs are often trapped in their homes for years because they live on the 4th floor and there is no elevator! Generally people with disabilities receive very little positive attention, although much is being done to change attitudes.

Caring for the Elderly

Without a doubt it is the older generation that is having the most difficult time in post- communist Bulgaria. Although many thought they would never see the day when their country would be free, they are in many ways the generation to be hardest hit by the transition. With time against them and pensions that barely cover heating costs, it is easy to see why so many are desperate and destitute, reduced to scavenging through bins and begging on the streets.

Many pensioners have no family to support them or there just isn’t enough money or time to care. For many their medication is unaffordable, as are visits to the dentist. Old age homes are usually degrading last choices with no love or affection to go around, not to mention the dilapidated condition of the buildings. Of course there are exceptions such as the Hospice Miloserdie started by Donka Paprikova, where the destitute can find a place to die in dignity, but generally the impression is that no one really cares about the elderly. Even ambulances don’t bother to show up if you tell them the patient is over 80!

Discrimination

Bulgarian society still has serious problems when dealing with people that are different. Minority groups that are stereotyped and discriminated against not only include Roma, immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers but prejudices are also directed at Bulgarians if they are disabled or homosexual.

By far the biggest problem is the relationship with the Roma community. Most Bulgarians will refer to the Roma as tsigani  (gipsy), spoken with such a negative tone that it is little surprise that the prejudice is passed from one generation to the next.

In the cities in particular society is segregated not by policy but by default. The Roma are amongst the poorest, they live in the poorest districts and go to the poorest schools. Without a proper education there is little chance to get a good job and break out of the cycle.

With EU pressure and funding, projects for integration and equal participation in Bulgarian society have been put together, but progress is slow and the issues are not political vote winners. Since 2000 there has been a gradual desegregation of Roma schools, first in the towns and cities outside Sofia and more recently also in Sofia.

There is some discrepancy in the data about the actual number of Roma in Bulgaria, partly because many do not own up to being Roma (it was a crime during communism to call yourself Roma). The official figure is 3% but others say it is more like 10% or 800,000, making it amongst the highest concentration of Roma anywhere in the world along with Hungary and Romania.

To date very few Roma have battled their way to make a breakthrough in Bulgarian society, apart from a few popfolk stars. There are, however, several political parties for the Roma, one of the most prominent being Evro Roma, which is run by a former MP who was convicted for involvement in organized crime and a Bulgarian model. With such a large amount of votes at stake, appealing to the Roma could turn out to be significant in the future of Bulgarian politics.