site.btaNumber of Syrian Nationals with Bulgarian Citizenship Increases 3-Fold from 2013 in January-September 2014

Number of Syrian Nationals with Bulgarian Citizenship  Increases 3-Fold from 2013 in January-September 2014

Sofia, October 16 (BTA) - Over 10,000 case files for Bulgarian
citizenship were initiated at the Justice Ministry from January
to September 2014, compared to 17,512 case files in the whole of
2013, show data of the ministry.

From January to September 2014, a total of 4,578 people acquired
Bulgarian citizenship, the highest number of them being
Macedonians (1,720), followed by Moldovans (1,603), Ukrainians
(797) and Serbians (273). In comparison, last year 7,701 people
were granted Bulgarian citizenship, of whom 4,852 were
Macedonians, 1,613 Moldovans, 344 Ukrainians, and 186 Serbians.

From January to September 2014, a total of 320 people acquired
Bulgarian citizenship through general naturalization, and 70 of
them were from Russia, 35 from Armenia, 49 from Ukraine, and 21
from Syria. In comparison, last year 253 foreigners were granted
Bulgarian citizenship, of whom 35 were from Russia, 42 from
Armenia, 31 from Ukraine, and 7 from Syria.

From the start of the year to September 30, a total of 6,776
people sought asylum from the State Agency for Refugees, show
data published on the institution's website.
A total of 4,139 of them were from Syria, 1,465 from
Afghanistan, 258 from Iraq, 146 from Algeria, and 209 had no
citizenship. Those granted refugee and humanitarian status were
3,320 and 1,695 people, respectively, and 366 foreigners were
denied refugee status.

In September 2014, a total of 1,220 people from 31 countries,
including 397 children, sought asylum in Bulgarian. Of them, 301
people from 3 countries acquired refugee status, 31 people from
3 countries were granted humanitarian status, and 27 people
from 8 countries were denied refugee status, the data of the
State Agency for Refugee show. Fifty-two per cent of these
foreigners were men, 33 per cent children, and 15 per cent
women. Those with higher education constituted 4 per cent, with
junior college 3 per cent, with secondary professional education
1 per cent, with no education 16 per cent, and with primary
education slightly under 30 per cent.