Bulgarian Church joins Anti-Muslim, Anti-Refugee chain of Europe

Several European leaders and organization members have made anti-refugee and anti-Muslim statements

Several European politicians have made statements, saying that Muslim refugees are threatening the Christian roots of Europe, and now Bulgaria’s Orthodox Church says the country should not let Muslim refugees in.

Several European leaders and organization members have made anti-refugee and anti-Muslim statements. Amid the increasing negative stance on refugees, a church in Bulgaria has become involved in the issue by making anti-Islamic statements. Amid increasing Islamophobia in Europe, the church’s statements are considered as reflecting religion-based discriminatory policies.

Bulgaria’s Orthodox Church called on its government on Friday to not let any more Muslim refugees into the country to prevent an “invasion.” 

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Friday he was “concerned” over a potential massive influx of refugees in the coming months. “I’m scared and the Bulgarian people are scared, if only where religions are concerned. We are Christian, they are Muslim,” he said.

Anti-immigration ideology and xenophobia have become more visible in the country as a result of the efforts of political parties like the NPD and Alternative for Germany (AFD), as well as anti-Islam and anti-immigrant initiatives like Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (PEGIDA), which have staged anti-immigrant rallies and drawn thousands of people throughout Europe, especially in Germany. 

It is noteworthy that about 13 percent of Bulgaria’s population is Muslim.