site.btaBulgaria's Partial Entry into Schengen Accepted by Bulgarians without Hostility, Shows Gallup International Balkan Study

A Gallup International Balkan study indicated that Bulgaria's partial entrance into Schengen was accepted by the Bulgarians without hostility, and that a full entry would indeed be accepted as a significant success, if, however, the authorities manage to separate the superimposed image of migration from the image of Schengen, which currently causes Bulgarians a lot of anxiety. Amidst their battling over symbols, memory and history, ideas and actions coming from powerholders are met with resistance and even negative reactions.

The study was conducted between January 11 and 19, 2023 among 807 people, in person with tablets. The results of the study were released on Thursday. The sample is representative of the adult population of the country. 

The admission of Bulgaria to Schengen by air and sea will bring real benefits, said 30.3% of respondents, 38.7% said that it brings neither benefit nor harm to Bulgaria, while 14.5% believe it will bring real harm. The rest do not have an opinion, the study shows.

The prospect of full entry into Schengen will bring real benefit to Bulgaria, according to 50.6% of respondents, it will bring neither benefit nor harm to the country according to 21%, and 13.7% find potential real harm to Bulgaria. A total of 15.3% believe that Bulgaria's entry into Schengen will be beneficial, 29.6% find no difference, and the largest share said that Bulgaria remaining outside Schengen will do real damage (36.3%). The rest are of no opinion.

It is more important for Bulgaria to join Schengen, even if it means accepting more refugees into the country, said 24.6% of the survey participants. It is more important that Bulgaria does not have to accept more refugees, even if this prevents the accession to Schengen,, said 56.3% of respondents, while 19.1% cannot decide. According to the researchers, the attitude towards the partial acceptance is not bad, but the full acceptance of Bulgaria into Schengen would be considered an achievement.

In its study, Gallup International Balkan survey attempts to list most ideas or discussions around symbols and history in the past year 2023 and check attitude towards them.

Opinions on teh dismantling of the Soviet Army Monument in Sofia, for example, were polar, i.e. almost equal shares of support (35.7%) and disagreement (40.3%). In Sofia, the ratio was two to one in favor of moving the monument. Everywhere else, however, the attitude was rather negative, and becomes more negative with the rising age of the respondents, survey data show. Some 51.4% were in fabvour and only 23.6% were against the proposals to place a monument with personalities from Bulgarian history in place of the Soviet Army Monument.

A total of 74.3% approved and 12.3% disapproved of the 111-metre high pole with the national flag at Rozhen.

The temporary closure of the so-called Russian Church in Sofia did not receive much approval. On this issue, Sofia and the country responded similarly Gallup International Balkan states. Some 62.7%n of respondents had a negative attitude towards what happened, and 12% had a positive attitude. The idea of changing the national holiday March 3 to May 24 did not receive much support, 77.9% were against it, while only 10.3% approved.