During the discussion Mr. Yasen Gergiev, Executive Director of EPI, presented a sum-up picture of the importance of the Bulgarian emigrants for the national economy. One finds particularly striking the facts on migration flows’ structure which prove that “brain drain” is the biggest challenge for Bulgaria in this process. In the Global Competitiveness report of the World Economic Forum Bulgaria’s total ranking is 76th but under sub-indicator “Brain Drain” is placed 128 among 133 countries. Statistical data on the amount of money transfers from abroad show that they are a significant factor in the national economy, their quantity in 2009 reaching a sum equal to half of the total FDIs in the country.

At the core of the discussion lied the presentation of Assen Assenov, PhD who teaches at the American University in Washington, DC and is also co-founder and president of the Bulgarian Community Centre. Mr. Assenov, who arrived from the USA to participate in the discussion, introduced the legal differences in defining the term “Bulgarian” in the US and Bulgarian legislation; outlined the dynamics of the migration process to the USA in the 1890-2008 period as well as the increasing rates of naturalization among the Bulgarian emigrants. According to official data from the national census 2000 the number of Bulgarians legally residing in the USA is 35 thousand people but independent studies of the Bulgarian community in 2008 puts the figure at over 100 thousand people concentrated mainly in Chicago an the states of Ohio, Michigan and partially Florida. 53% of the emigrants from Bulgaria have higher education and achieve good professional realization which once more stresses upon the large scale of the “brain drain” from Bulgaria. The economic crisis in the USA did not facilitate a return migration wave to the motherland and the reasons are rooted in concerns over the economic and social security within the country. Additionally, Mr. Assenov offered some recommendations to Bulgaria’s state officials: policy of supporting Bulgarian schools abroad; arranging internships for Bulgarian students in the USA at national businesses and organizations; promoting research projects involving Bulgarian scientists over the Ocean and facilitating major cultural events.

The second point of the discussion stressed on the Bulgarian emigration to Germany which was introduced by Miss Vessela Kovacheva from the Hamburg Institute of International Economics. The speaker outlined the historical framework of the migration flows from Bulgaria to Germany as well as the liberalization stages on the countries path to European integration. In 2008 the Bulgarians residing in Germany amount at 54 thousand, 10 thousand of them being university students. An interesting fact to mention is that the Bulgarian students’ community ranks fifth in number after those of China, Turkey, Russia and Poland, preferred destinations being the provinces in Southern Germany. After 2004 is observed a tendency of increased number of Bulgarians obtaining German citizenship. Miss Kovacheva illustrated the daily life of the Bulgarian community through the example of Hamburg with its 2400 fellow-countrymen.

Return migration found its place in the discussion through the personal story of Mr. Simeon Semov – Director, Legal Directorate of the Bulgarian Stock Exchange who shared his experience with the juristic practice in the USA, the American educational system and the reasons for coming back home.

The discussion was a logical continuation of the series of studies on migration conducted by the Economic Policy Institute and reflects the Institute’s long-term interest in the matter. In 2006-2007 EPI successfully implemented a project “The Role of Human Capital in International Competitiveness. Transatlantic Comparison of Experience with Migration in the US and the EU”. In 2008 EPI deepened its expertise on the migration topic with a project on “The Implication of EU Membership on Immigration Trends and Immigrant Integration Policies for the Bulgarian Labour Market.” Following the global trends’ dynamics, in 2010 the research team of EPI concentrates on migration in transition, the new challenges and solutions. The Institute aims at outlining the mid-term opportunities for Bulgaria to make good use of its emigrants’ potential and even to attract some of them to come back. Additionally, new visions and supplements are sought to the national policy towards new emigrant communities abroad.