What makes Bulgarian society tick?

Bulgaria is an EU member and at the same time noticeably more conservative socially than Western and Northern Europe. Family and the Orthodox Church carry considerable weight outside the big cities; the constitution explicitly names Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the country's traditional religion. Around 71 per cent of respondents in the 2021 census described themselves as Christians, just under 11 per cent as Muslims — mostly Bulgarians of Turkish descent along with the Pomaks, Bulgarian-speaking Muslims whose ancestors converted in Ottoman times. Both groups are firmly integrated into society and everyday life. Integrating the Roma (4.4 per cent according to the census) remains a task for society as a whole: their main settlement areas vary greatly from region to region, and the social climate around the topic is tense — which is why local knowledge matters when choosing a location. Svetlana knows the areas of Burgas Province in detail.