Solomon Passi, chairperson of the Bulgarian Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs, said that 82 254 foreigners from 29 countries had applied for Bulgarian citizenship since 2000.
Close to 10 000 applications were made in the first nine months of 2006 alone, said Passi, according to a report by Bulgarian National radio (BNR).
Most of the foreigners applying for Bulgarian citizenship were Moldavians, 38 000, and Macedonians, 30 000.
Bulgaria’s positive development in recent years and the opportunity to get European Union passports after Bulgaria joins the EU on January 1 2007 had attracted the foreigners, Passi said.
Bulgaria could partially resolve its demographic problems by attracting foreigners, according to Passi.