Mixed Migration After the Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan: State Capacity and Public Perceptions in Bulgaria

Abstract

In light of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August 2021, this paper aims to analyze both the Bulgarian population’s attitudes toward newcomers and the capacity of the Republic of Bulgaria to manage mixed migration adequately. Toward this aim, a public perceptions survey was conducted in the cities of Harmanli and Sofia, where four out of five migrant registration and reception centers (RRCs) in Bulgaria are located. The authors argue that the state’s difficulties in coping with an increased influx of migrants and their possible integration are mainly due to its apparent refusal to take the lead in this regard and the lack of communication with the local population, especially where RRCs are situated.

Keywords

• refugees
• asylum seekers
• migration
• armed conflict
• local perceptions
• afghanistan