site.btaStudy Finds Signs of Extreme Ethnocentrism in Bulgarian Society

Sofia, June 9 (BTA) - There are signs of extreme ethnocentrism
in Bulgarian society, a study presented Wednesday at the BTA
Press Club shows. Titled "Radicalization of non-acceptance.
Group hatred and right-extremist attitudes in Bulgaria", the
study commissioned by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation was
conducted by AFIS agency. It is based on 1,200 effective phone
interviews by randomly generated numbers.

Strong ethnocentrism does not necessarily mean an aptitude to
violence, social scientist Antonii Todorov said. That is rather
observed on the side, he added.

Extreme right attitudes are already creeping in the centrist
groups of Bulgarian society, the study finds. This rightist
thinking trend is growing stronger, extreme right groups are
becoming more radical, sources of knowledge such as science,
education and media are rejected, it further concludes.

One in every five adults in Bulgaria declares he/she has never
communicated with other ethnic groups, Stefan Georgiev said.
Slightly over 30 per cent of the respondents said they
communicated with other ethnic groups frequently, and nearly
half of the adult population - that they rarely do so. Those who
 never communicated are mostly people from small settlements who
 define themselves as standing to the right or more to the
right, and declare more radical positions, Georgiev explained.

Just 22 per cent would agree to accept living in the same town
or city with someone of Turkish origin, 15 per cent would accept
 someone of Roma origin, the study shows. Readiness for having
family relationships with people from another ethnic group was
expressed by 15 per cent (for Turkish origin) and 5 per cent
(for Roma origin), respectively, Georgiev said.

A five-grade scale applied to the attitudes related to
ethnocentrism showed that 57 per cent of the respondents fully
agreed that we should all be proud of Bulgaria, while those who
did not were less than three per cent. Nearly one in every three
 adult Bulgarians agrees we should all be proud we are
Bulgarians, Georgiev underscored.

Eighteen per cent of the respondents fully agree that there are
too many foreigners in Bulgaria, against 19 per cent who totally
 disagree.

One in three agrees that Islam is alien to Bulgarian culture and
 that more Muslims should not be allowed to settle in Bulgaria.

The analysis also studies the extent to which an individual is
ready to accept extreme right theses, and has found indications
of potential racism. There is a negative stereotype regarding
the Roma, who are the ideal example of the notion of "the
other", Chavdar Naydenov said. Fifty-two per cent of the
respondents agree that the Roma have a propensity for crimes.
Naydenov also said the analysis shows the view that different
peoples should not mix is not particularly widespread in
Bulgaria, but is nevertheless shared.

However, the experts' expectations that in the period of the
pandemic everyone's fears would "pour" in the direction of
conspiracy thinking, has proved unfounded./NV/BR