Policy Analysis Report (WP3)

The migration policy of the Bulgarian communist regime was restrictive and tightly controlled. In the first few years after the end of the World War II, numerous political emigrants managed to leave the country (they settled in Western Europe, USA and Latin America), as did a majority of Bulgarian Jews (emigrated to Israel) and many Armenians (went to USSR). Between 1950 and roughly the end of 1970s, it was very difficult for the Bulgarian citizens to travel abroad because obtaining an international passport largely depended on the political positions of individuals. In practice, legal emigration was not possible, and Bulgarians could "emigrate" only if a person managed to cross the border illegally or "disappeared" while on a visit abroad. Legal emigration was permitted only to Bulgarian Turks in line with the special agreement between Bulgaria and Turkey. Hundreds of thousands of Turks have emigrated to Turkey between 1950 and 1989.