Central and East European countries as transit or final destinations of migrant and refugee flows in Europe — trends, causes and social impact from the Bulgarian perspective

Focusing on the case of Bulgaria, this paper examines the trends, causes and social impacts of transitory migration, and especially that of asylum seekers and refugees, in Bulgaria as part of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region and the broader EU context. It provides a statistical overview of refugee flows since 2012 and indicators of the rates of retention or transition. The paper also describes the legislative frameworks on the EU — and national levels which define the required reception conditions and the procedural treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, and elaborates on their practical application, including deficiencies in the conditions for receiving refugees, procedural flaws and the lack of integration measures. Finally, the paper discusses the impact of these processes on Bulgarian society, including the role of civil society.