In Order to Tackle the Housing Crisis in Bulgaria, We Need to Talk About Racism, by Darina Rumenova – 6 October 2026

Ethnic divisions undermine the prospects of achieving better housing policies for all of us

In recent years, rent and property prices have been a constant topic of discussion. Against a backdrop of inflation, the introduction of the euro and the economic crisis, landlords in Bulgaria have raised prices once again.

This topic is being discussed practically every day. People see the absurd prices of listings on social media, mocking them with “laugh” reactions and harsh comments. Yet somehow this discontent does not lead to any meaningful action for systemic change – with one notable exception.

Deprived of their long-standing homes in a particularly brutal manner, part of the Roma community has begun to demand what all of us need: a fair housing policy that puts people first.

Forced homelessness as national policy

The demolition of homes and the eviction of residents from the Lozenets neighbourhood in the Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora this summer are a cruel example of a ruthless policy that has remained unchanged for decades. This policy prioritises administrative formalities (that is, the legal status of properties) over families, the elderly, people with disabilities, children and human life in general.

In recent years, however, the Roma community seems to be speaking out more and more against these actions and is insisting more systematically on dignified solutions to the problem. When people were forcibly evicted from their homes in the Zaharna Fabrika neighbourhood of Sofia at five o’clock in the morning in April 2025, they insisted that they be offered a real alternative. Whether it be land on which they could build new homes, council housing offering a basic standard of living, or at the very least – that they not be denied the possibility to rent housing (as is often the case) due to racist discrimination.

Lessons in collective resistance from the Roma community

During the protests by Roma residents of the Zaharna Fabrika neighbourhood, the wider Roma community in the city and across the country rallied together at the time to support their demands. Together, they protested on numerous occasions outside the ‘Ilinden’ municipality and blocked Slivnitsa Boulevard, a major road in the area. Roma activists on social media, journalists from Roma media outlets such as Romalo, and even politicians – notably the current Roma representative in parliament, Marin Tihomirov – continued to spotlight the gravity of the issue.

Although there was some support from ethnic Bulgarians, a large section of society, as could be expected, was not sympathetic – quite the contrary. Apart from the usual racist comments and exceptionally ‘concerned’ citizens rallying for the rule of law, something else stands out. The angry commentators insist that since they themselves have to pay exorbitant rents and unaffordable mortgages (even if this causes them anger and difficulties) then everyone else must do the same and no one has the right to even ask for a more dignified alternative.

Nothing for anyone

Outraged citizens describe the impossible conditions of the housing crisis in our country with palpable anger. Nevertheless, they express dissatisfaction with the Roma, who are seeking systemic, rather than merely individual solutions to their problems. Messages such as ‘Get a job!’ – and placed in the hands of children, no less – demonstrate precisely this imposed view of housing insecurity as a strictly personal issue, rather than a social and economic one. The usual racist arguments about a double standard, which ‘favours’ the Roma at the expense of ethnic Bulgarians, are also highlighted, without acknowledging the systemic discrimination against the Roma community by politicians, employers, landlords, neighbours and society as a whole.

In the collective imagination of a large section of our society, the idea that we all suffer from similar problems – which are not inevitable – simply does not register. Instead of channeling energy into racist protests in support of de facto ethnic cleansing of neighbourhoods, that energy and organisational capacity could have been channelled into a common struggle. This racist division actually undermines our collective potential for better housing policies for all – not just for the Roma community.

The poor against the poorer, everyone against everyone

In the same vein, unfortunately, people targeted by forced evictions often, in turn, direct the accusation of ‘double standards’ towards other marginalised groups. Towards migrants from Ukraine, for example, in relation to the ‘Baba Alino’ settlement, or towards those from Afghanistan and others, including in connection with their temporary accommodation in detention centres (by the state) or housing (by private businesses).

Indeed, we can see there is a hierarchy of marginalised groups and differing attitudes towards them, both on the part of the state and on the part of society. What these different groups of people have in common is that they are all seeking shelter and a dignified life in Bulgaria. However, there is no adequate and comprehensive strategy for meeting their accommodation needs. Thus, the failures of the country’s housing policy lead not only to individual crises, but also to the emergence of ethnic tensions and widespread social problems.

“Since when is following the law racism?!”

When we talk about ‘legality’, we must question whom the current laws serve and why regulations are valued more highly than human lives, particularly those of minorities.

When no real alternatives are offered, property laws effectively serve to prevent survival itself. Another example of this is that 40 per cent of homes in the country stand empty, whilst entire families are left to live on the streets. The most logical course of action in such cases is for people in need of shelter to find solutions to their problem by moving into such buildings. Occupying vacant buildings provides shelter for 10 per cent of the global population and is accepted (to varying degrees) in many cities around the world.

Forcible eviction demonstrates, on the one hand, that the laws protect and serve the owners of buildings or land, rather than the lives of vulnerable people in our society. On the other hand, even when there are no owners (or the owners are local authorities or the state), these laws uphold the economic model of capitalism as a supreme value – it does not matter whether the owners will ever use the property; what matters is that the poor know their place. And that everyone else knows it, too.

Eviction without bulldozers

When there are virtually no safeguards against the will of landlords, as is generally the case in Bulgaria, no one is completely safe. A year ago, I was last browsing through house-search advertisements on social media, and one post in particular stuck in my mind; it read something along the lines of: “Help! We’re urgently looking for a flat to rent – we have a small child and our landlord just evicted us without any notice.”

Many people in Bulgaria still live in rented accommodation without signing any tenancy agreement. This is appealing to many, as it means they probably pay slightly lower rent and certainly save on hefty estate agent’s fees.

But even people with tenancy agreements can be forced to leave their homes due to unaffordable rent increases or landlords’ sudden decisions to turn the property into an Airbnb, for example. Even a contract does not provide long-term security, especially for those of us who are financially pressured by the increasingly high cost of living.

Solidarity beyond racist prejudices

Bulgaria’s inhumane housing policy affects us all, but its most extreme manifestations are precisely the demolitions and forced evictions of the most vulnerable communities. Issues such as the lack of availability in council and social housing, unaffordable rents, poor living conditions, racist discrimination by landlords, homelessness, poverty and insecurity – all of this comes to light. That is why these situations represent a huge missed opportunity for solidarity and a shared struggle.

There is an alternative scenario in which ethnic Bulgarians, Roma people of different means, locals, migrants, and everyone else begin to identify themselves with the protests of the displaced people. Instead of feeling anger that people are finding practical solutions for their families and demanding that the institutions aid them, rather than sabotaging them, isn’t it high time we joined them? Instead of calling for ‘universal suffering’, we could be demanding something better for all of us. Something much better.

Darina Rumenova graduated with a degree in ‘Social Policy’, but over the years she has been involved in education, the arts and activism in the fields of women’s liberation, environmentalism and other anti-authoritarian movements.

This article first appeared on Cross-Border Talks and is republished here with permission.

In Order to Tackle the Housing Crisis in Bulgaria, We Need to Talk About Racism, by Darina Rumenova – 6 October 2026

More content from this blog