One of the most authoritative French media outlets - La Croix - published an extensive analysis of Bulgaria, entitled “Plovdiv - symbol of the return of Bulgarian brains“. In her article from May 4, the publication's special envoy Agnès Rotivel describes how, after decades of demographic collapse, Bulgaria for the first time reports more citizens returning than leaving the country. According to data cited by La Croix, in 2025, about 18,000 Bulgarians returned to Bulgaria, while about 13,000 people left.
It is Plovdiv, writes Agnès Rotivel, that is one of the brightest symbols of this change. “Plovdiv - "a city open to the world?" she asks at the beginning of her text, describing the second largest Bulgarian city as one of the oldest settlements in Europe, preserving Greek, Turkish, Jewish and Armenian influences. After its election as European Capital of Culture in 2019, she says, "the city has a tailwind."
A special place in the La Croix publication is occupied by the Thrace Economic Zone /TEZ/, which Agnès Rotivel defines as a "kind of economic miracle" that marked the beginning of Plovdiv's revival after a severe economic crisis. She presents Eng. Plamen Panchev and his son Martin as the people who manage the industrial park together with Eng. Valentin Kanchev and partners and attract some of the largest international companies in Europe.
Agnès Rotivel explicitly emphasizes that companies such as Schneider Electric and Liebherr, as well as Japanese, Chinese and Korean companies, have already established themselves in the TEZ. “And many others are expected to follow them. Young people see that there are opportunities in Bulgaria, that it is a safe and more peaceful country and that the level of education has significantly improved“, La Croix quotes Eng. Plamen Panchev as saying. According to him, between 2005 and 2020, young Bulgarians wanted to go to Europe to study, work and see the world, but when they start families and have children, they start to return to their homeland. The French journalist also notes that the horizon of Plamen and Martin Panchevi already goes beyond Europe. “Their goal is now clearly aimed at companies from Asia – Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan“, she writes. At the same time, Plamen Panchev emphasizes to the French media: “But we remain deeply European.“
Agnes Rotivel also pays special attention to the story of Martin Panchev. She says that he studied architectural technologies and construction in Copenhagen between 2013 and 2018, after which he returned to Bulgaria. “Like 80% of my high school classmates“, Martin Panchev tells La Croix, describing how massive the departure of young people abroad was.
After his studies in Denmark, he chose to return to Plovdiv and work for the development of the Thrace economic zone. According to the French journalist, his mission today is to convince new international companies to invest both in Plovdiv and in other industrial zones in Bulgaria, with which the TIZ partners.
In the La Croix article, Plovdiv is presented as a place where young people see a perspective. The French journalist describes the city as a combination of quality of life, economic development, universities and modern industry. She emphasizes that it is the companies in the Thrace Economic Zone that provide young engineers, IT specialists and highly qualified personnel with well-paid jobs and opportunities for professional development without leaving Bulgaria.
According to Agnes Rotivel, Plovdiv is no longer just a beautiful historical city, but an economic engine of Bulgaria and a symbol of the new trend - the return of Bulgarians home.
The report presents the personal stories of Bulgarians who have lived and worked abroad and who choose to return. Among them is the teacher Stanimir Panayotov, who after years in Hungary, Serbia and Russia settled in Plovdiv. Another character in the article is Iliyan Stefanov, who returned from the UK after Brexit. “We wanted our child to grow up close to the family“, he says.
The French journalist emphasizes that for many young families, the quality of life in Plovdiv is already more attractive than life in large Western cities.
Agnes Rotivel also emphasizes education. She writes that there are nine universities in Plovdiv, which attract both Bulgarians and many foreign students. The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Vesselina Goranova, points out that in 2025, 40% of the students from abroad at the Medical University of Plovdiv were British. The French journalist emphasizes that Bulgaria is already attracting foreign students with lower fees, good conditions and increasingly high-quality education.
The ending of La Croix's article is particularly powerful. The Deputy Dean for Research and Applied Activities at the Faculty of French Studies at the Technical University of Sofia, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristiyan Kanchev, who graduated in Great Britain and France, says: "Bulgaria used to be the country everyone wanted to escape from, and today we see people returning." According to him, the returned Bulgarians are "a real added value" for the Motherland.
Agnes Rotivel concludes her report with the conclusion that the page of mass emigration is gradually closing and more and more Bulgarians are beginning to believe that they can have a "good life in their own country."