Low levels of support for the mainstream political parties and of young people’s involvement in election campaigns, discontent with the ruling political elites and a willingness to emigrate expressed by more than 40 percent – these are, in brief the main conclusions drawn in a Friedrich Ebert report on the young generation in Bulgaria. The results paint a sociological portrait of the young in Bulgaria today – 25 years after the start of political change and almost 8 years after the country’s accession to the EU.

“An honest day’s work will get you nowhere, here in Bulgaria,” says a 22-year old student of economics in Sofia. His answer holds good for 42.5 percent of young people in Bulgaria who see their future abroad. Why are so many young people ready to emigrate? The answer from Michaela Mahler from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

“Firstly, they are seeking a better job with a higher salary. Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in 2007 opened up new opportunities for young people on the labour market of Western Europe. But there is another factor as well – young people say the political situation in Bulgaria is unstable. They say that there is a large democratic deficit and that a stable democratic society has not been built in the country as yet. What is more – they do not expect this to happen any time in the foreseeable future. The old elites still occupy the top posts in the country and pull the strings in all spheres of life.”

Whereas prior to Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in 2007, the main reason for emigrating was cited as the widespread crime and social insecurity, now it can be described in just one word – desperation. Desperation is a feeling that, alongside dissatisfaction with life usually gives rise to political activity, especially with young people. “Unfortunately, in Bulgaria this is not so,” says Michaela Mahler.

“Unfortunately, a career in politics is not something that is seen as a way to change life in the country, because young people regard parties as devoid of content and ideas. There are quite a few politically active young people here who want to change their country, yet they are more of an exception. The rest tend to be sceptical of politics. People only turn to a career in politics with the aim of personal gain, not because they want to change or to reform society. Practice has shown that it is very difficult, not to say impossible to achieve any change through political involvement. And that is something that turns young people away from politics.”

Even though the anti-government protests brought down the Oresharski cabinet two years ago, young people in the country do not see them as having been successful. Their disappointment can be explained with the fact that many of the demands raised were left hanging. The protests resulted in no visible change in society and the wave of civil discontent was never followed by any political steps. In the words of Michaela Mahler this is a secondary reason why young people emigrate – a pressing problem for Bulgaria. But not all people leaving the country are highly qualified or readily employable. One of the conclusions of the Friedrich Ebert report speaks for itself: Young unemployed prefer to be unemployed in Western Europe, rather than in Bulgaria.

“When you are not competitive on the Bulgarian market there is no way you can be competitive on the market in Germany. There is a myth going round that these people are milking the social systems of the host countries, but that is not so. When you arrive in Germany and are unable to find a job, that does not mean you are automatically entitled to unemployment benefits. The international press loves to misrepresent things.”

According to the report’s authors, brain drain is a serious problem for Bulgaria because what the country needs is highly qualified young people to set change in motion.

English version: Milena Daynova