Assessing regional disparities in Bulgaria and Switzerland

Abstract

The chapter reviews regional disparities in Bulgaria and Switzerland in relation to migration attitudes of Bulgarian citizens. Applying a taxonomy method that produces an integral score of a regional unit’s development, three main groups of units are identified-top, medium, and less developed districts in both countries. Correlation analysis is performed by variables for Bulgarian migrants’ concentration and the socio-economic indicators of the regions. The main migration variables are based on survey data for potential and return migrants in Bulgaria and for the Bulgarian residents in Switzerland. Regional demographic and socio-economic profiles of potential migrants in Bulgaria and of Bulgarian residents in Switzerland are particularly discussed in respect of gender, age, education, labour market status, etc. Evidence is suggested that Bulgarians in Switzerland tend to relocate in search of migrant niches in relatively less developed cantons, avoiding higher concentration of migrants of other origin. Educational differences among Bulgarian residents as well as the diversity in the professional occupations clearly relate to the regional divergence between the respective Swiss cantons.