Bulgaria's social ministry is preparing a new scheme to keep young people of Bulgarian descent who study in the country here to work, labour and social policy minister Natalia Efremova said at the "Europe is with me" forum in Sofia.
The scheme is for young people who are already used to life in Bulgaria but may not yet have Bulgarian citizenship. Efremova named Bessarabian Bulgarians as an example. "We would like to invite them to stay in Bulgaria and join the labour market," she said.
So far 1,600 Bulgarians have come back under the "I Choose Bulgaria" programme. They come from all over the world and are looking for work and a calmer life. Not all have stayed in the big cities, and some live in small towns and villages. Some have found jobs, while others have opened their own businesses.
A separate scheme helps people who move to live and work elsewhere in Bulgaria. The place they move to must have fewer than 50,000 residents. More than 150 people applied in just a few days. Efremova said the aim is to stop large areas from losing their people, so that businesses can create jobs there.
Mario Nava, director-general of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, welcomed Bulgaria's efforts to bring its citizens home from abroad. He said the EU wants people to live better and have access to basic services. That is why it is looking for more job opportunities and decent pay, he said.
The forum screened a documentary about Bulgarians who returned with the help of "I Choose Bulgaria". A man who took part in the programme explained why he decided to come back from abroad.
Ivaylo Kracholov, mayor of Chirpan, believes young families can have a future in small towns. He said local authorities welcome such programmes.
The forum was organised under the social ministry's "Human Resources Development" programme. Participants also spoke about changes in the labour market, support for workers, the fight against child poverty and long-term care for older people.