For the last few years Bulgaria has been trying very hard to meet all the EU requirements so that it can access the organization in 2007. The efforts of the Bulgarian politicians are generally approved by the common people but everybody keeps asking one and the same question – will the accession of Bulgaria into the European Union be enough to make people stop migrating and stay in their own country?
The migration, also called ‘working abroad’ factor, is among the greatest challenges Bulgarians are facing as a nation and individuals. Almost in every fifth family there is at least one relative working abroad in order to support financially the others. Close to 100 million euro is the amount sent by 185 million immigrants to their homes every year. In Spain alone there are more than 130 000 Bulgarian workers forming 10.9% of all 1.3 million foreigners working there. Among these almost 6 000 are staying and working in Spain without the proper documentation. At the same time each year between 800 000 and 1.1 million young people leave for the EU countries for summer jobs, but at least 1/3 of them stay there, starting a new life. Experts warn that this is a considerable annual export of educated and qualified people of birth-giving age which has its negative consequences on the population growth and birth rates in the country.
Bulgarians look upon EU membership as a means of making their lives easier. Judging from the current situation in Spain we can only hope that soon people will come to work in Bulgaria rather than go abroad looking for new opportunities. With the considerable EU funding in different economical fields it will soon be possible for the government to supply low interest credits for students and young families as well as people living in the regions with bad demographic conditions. If such policy is to be undertaken there is not only the possibility of keeping young people in the country but also tempting many of the immigrants back to Bulgaria.
