Author: Bistra Uzunova
"Today I baked my first Tikwa banitza", boasts a German expatriate in Bulgaria. Another advises on the fastest way to get a "Litschna karte". And a third lists the advantages that please him the most: "In Bulgaria there is almost no land tax, there are no fees for public radio and television, and taxes are only 10%: Enjoy life in a better Germany!".
Expatriates from Germany: why are they in Bulgaria and what do they like
What makes German expatriates in Bulgaria think like this? In Facebook groups (with sometimes pathetic names like "Goodbye, Germany") they share impressions of life in their new homeland. One of these groups has over 10,800 members, I learn from the group administrator, Uwe Leer. He lives near Düsseldorf, is married to a Romanian woman, and is a freight forwarder by profession and regularly travels with orders to various places in Bulgaria. He tells me that he knows almost all the Germans in the group. What made them settle in Bulgaria?
"Many of them are of the opinion that politics in Germany is not interested in their opinion, that they remain, so to speak, unheard. I have also taken quite a few people to Bulgaria who, because of this, sympathize with "Alternative for Germany". But the most basic reason is undoubtedly that a large number of Germans hope to live in Bulgaria very profitably," says Leer.
"Can one live decently in Bulgaria with a pension of 800 euros?"
Incomes from Germany, Austria or Switzerland allow for a very decent life in Bulgaria. Although the high prices of food products regularly become the subject of controversial discussions on Facebook: "How can butter cost more in Bulgaria than in Germany?", one user wonders.
And another asks the Facebook group whether one can live well in Bulgaria with a pension of 800 euros. This question causes heated debate: "No, Bulgaria is not a country of low prices, and that shouldn't be the only reason for someone to move", says one of the answers.
Another user shares personal impressions: "We have been living in Bulgaria for a long time, but in the countryside. If you only have an 800 euro pension, consider that you have to pay rent, taxes and health insurance from them. If you are healthy and have your own home, the amount may be enough for you, but otherwise you are better off staying in Germany, because there is a secure social system there that guarantees your survival - none of this is available in Bulgaria, and for doctors, medicines and hospitals you have to pay everything out of your own pocket. We have already seen many who got stuck just because of health expenses. If you break your leg and need to have a nail put in, you'll have to quickly put 1,000 leva on the table."
"Bulgaria is a very beautiful country, but be careful - life here is not like in Germany and you have to make a lot of compromises, especially with regard to hospitals and social care," warns another German who moved to Bulgaria.
Another user commented on the question from a different angle: "Will it always be just about looking for the cheapest country? Without any interest in the language, culture, nature and people? If you really care ONLY about where you will live the cheapest, it is best to focus on Thailand or Panama.
"If the euro comes, many here will have to look for another country"
There are also those who fear that the introduction of the euro could lead to a spike in property and food prices: "I have been living in the Varna region since 2004. Since the time before Bulgaria joined the EU, many things have changed - both for the better and for the worse. And if the euro comes, many of the German immigrants here will have to look for another country to live in - I bet 1000 euros on that", writes one user, while another counters him: "Hey, a lot of wise economists have come up here too. Croatia didn't fail when it adopted the euro either - quite the opposite. I am happy about the introduction of the euro, as is the tourism and trade sector in Bulgaria.
"Not everything in Bulgaria is rosy. This is a country of contradictions: cheap and expensive are tightly intertwined in all areas of life", says another opinion.
"Many of the emigrants look at their new homeland through rose-colored glasses and harbor various illusions", commented Uwe Leer. According to him, not all emigrants are ready to truly integrate and accept the fact that in Bulgaria they are immigrants who must comply with the rules and mentality of their new homeland. And it is this mentality that sometimes causes them problems, but they also like it very much, because they find something in Bulgaria that they were missing.
"What more could a person want? Here we have a real quality of life."
"In Bulgaria we are looking for a new beginning, far from the stressful and bureaucratic everyday life in Germany", shares a German woman, and a Swiss pensioner enthusiastically notes: "Life here is much less stressful and I enjoy my freedom, which I love so much. The sun shines almost every day, people are kind and willing to help, and there are both mountains and the sea nearby. What more could one ask for? We have a real quality of life here."
Many of the German immigrants enjoy the mild climate, the many sunny days and, of course, the sea. But most of them have realized that prices by the sea and in Sofia are much higher than in the interior of the country. "When you are a pensioner, it is not the best choice to live in Sofia. Prices for an apartment or house range from 190,000 to over 500,000 euros," shares an informed member of one of the Facebook groups.
"Bulgarians help in every situation"
Rents and property prices are among the most discussed topics. As is living with Bulgarian neighbors. "Bulgarians help in every situation, they are very kind and responsive. I often feel ashamed of being German, because my compatriots often leave you without help," shares one of the immigrants.
"In Germany they often say: When a foreigner wants to live in Germany, he must learn German. However, in Bulgaria there are German immigrants who have no intention of learning the language at all, because they know little English or because they say they are too old to learn. Bulgarian is difficult, but that's how any new language is. "However, there are also Germans who are making an effort," says one migrant. Another boasts that she has already learned the alphabet and can hold a conversation in Bulgarian, which is why she hopes this will provide her with a job and a future in Bulgaria.
The country is now among the most popular European destinations for people who want to start a new life abroad. German-language media regularly talk about the growing interest of German migrants in Bulgaria. According to data from the insurance company "William Russell", their number in Bulgaria has increased from 21,000 in 1990 to 184,000 in 2020. Is Bulgaria really the better Germany?
"Let's accept Bulgaria as it is"
A German woman who moved to Bulgaria offers her answer: "Let's let Bulgaria be Bulgaria. We should not try to "Germanize" everything. Even though I live in the country and pay taxes there, I remain a guest in Bulgaria. I do not need German beer, nor German goods in the supermarket. Nor do I expect people to understand German or to have the same precision and pedantry as in Germany. This is Bulgaria. Let's accept it as it is.