Internet and the Bulgarian Emigration to and in Great Britain
Internet and the Bulgarian Emigration to and in Great Britain

Summary/Abstract: The critical situation after the collapse of the communist regime in 1989 and the limited employment market in Bulgaria forced many Bulgarian citizens to emigrate as a way to survive. In short time, they created rather large immigrant groups in many Western Europe countries. In contrast to countries like France, Germany or Spain, Bulgarian emigration to the UK became a massive movement only after the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union in 2007. The number of Bulgarians in the UK has gradually increased, reaching almost 150 000 people in 2010 according to unofficial estimates. For that reason, Bulgarians in the UK are one of the largest ‘new’ expatriate communities in Western Europe. This article investigates the role and the influence of new information technologies such as the Internet on the integration possibilities of Bulgarian citizens in Britain. The fieldwork research showed that the global virtual network facilitates movement processes and supports adaptation and integration processes in the new host country. The Internet is not only an instrument for everyday communication with relatives and friends in Bulgaria, but also provides a source of information and cultural exchange which influences migrant’s national identification and consciousness.

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