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Monday, 20 December 2010

Migrant Remittances to Bulgaria hit new high

There has been an increase in the amount of remittances from Bulgarians working abroad over the last twelve month up until October this year, according to a new report just published.

The net sum of the remittances from Bulgarians permanently working abroad totaled €702 million during the period from October 2009 to October 2010, according to data from the Bulgarian Central Bank.

Studies show that the actual money sent home are about 30-40% higher that the official figures.

Experts say the rise in remittances to Bulgaria will have a positive impact on the Bulgarian economy and expand the domestic economy.

Remittances from migrant workers are a lifeline to large sections of the Bulgarian economy, particularly the retail trade and the housing market.

According to the World Bank, Bulgaria has one of the highest proportions of its population working abroad of any country in the world and remains one of Europe's biggest recipients of remittances.

Approximately 1.2 million Bulgarians currently live abroad, equal to 16% of the population.

The biggest Bulgarian communities are based in Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania and Turkey.