The First Quarantined Settlements in Bulgaria
The First Quarantined Settlements in Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: Can we call the COVID-19 pandemic a ‘crisis’? The first cases of coronavirus infections were announced in Bulgaria in the spring of 2020. Here, as in many other countries, various measures were introduced to prevent the spread of the disease. At the same time, the public received contradictory messages from politicians and medical experts, which led to confusion and uneven levels of risk awareness in Bulgarian society. Our paper is focused on the country’s first quarantined settlements: the town of Bansko (a mountain winter resort) and the village of Panicherevo, Gurkovo region. We aim to explore the perceptions, reactions and coping strategies of the local communities with regard to the pandemic and in particular to the lockdown. The specificities of the two models of interpretation and management of the situation are outlined and compared with the definition of ‘crisis’. Examples of effective coping mechanisms related to the two cases are described. The methodology includes qualitative research methods – field study with interviews, focus group discussions and observation of the behaviour of local communities (conducted in 2021 under conditions of an ongoing national state of emergency), and analysis of official documents and media publications.

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