Barzilska, P. (2024), Public attitudes towards refugees in Bulgaria: Comparative analysis of public opinion surveys in the period 2020-2023, European Initiative for Energy Security, May 2024.

Country

Bulgaria

Title

Barzilska, P. (2024), Public attitudes towards refugees in Bulgaria: Comparative analysis of public opinion surveys in the period 2020-2023, European Initiative for Energy Security, May 2024.

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Year

2024

Publication type

Research evidence/report

Geographical coverage

National

Area/location of interest

Not applicable - national level

Type of Institution

Civil Society Organisation

Institution

European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES)

Thematic focus

Public perceptions and attitudes

Groups

General population

Key findings

The report analyzes Bulgarian public attitudes towards refugees (2020-2023), showing mostly neutral views but a clear distinction favouring Ukrainian refugees over others. Acceptance of Ukrainian refugees rose significantly post-2022, with over 60 % supporting their arrival, while attitudes toward refugees from other regions remain largely negative. Contact with refugees increased from 9 % in 2020 to 34 % in 2023. Willingness to support refugees remains low, with minimal personal involvement. There are no explicit findings on anti-Muslim hatred, but concerns over religion and ethnicity influenced attitudes, as seen in 2020 data favouring Christian refugees.

Methodology (Qualitative/Quantitative and exact type used, questionnaires etc)

The report uses a comparative analysis methodology, employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It relies on side-by-side descriptive comparison of public opinion surveys from 2020-2023. The surveys include structured quantitative questionnaires with closed-ended questions and Likert scale evaluations. Data collection methods include CATI (telephone surveys), CAWI (online panels), and face-to-face interviews.

Sample details and representativeness

The study analyzes survey data from four waves (2020-2023), with approximately 1,500 respondents per wave, totaling 6,000 responses. Sampling follows a stratified random approach, ensuring representativeness by age, gender, region, and education level. Data is weighted to match national census demographics, enhancing accuracy. Surveys were conducted via CATI (40 %), CAWI (40 %), and face-to-face interviews (20 %).

DISCLAIMERThe information presented here is collected under contract by the FRA's research network FRANET. The information and views contained do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the FRA.