by David Zenian
RUSSE, Bulgaria - The open-door policies of Bulgaria and Romania are attracting hundreds of Armenian entrepreneurs, and thousands of refugees seeking a better life "not too far away from home."
From flea markets in Russe to Burgas and Varna in Bulgaria, to joint partnerships in Sofia and Bucharest, Armenians are flocking into the former Soviet-bloc countries.
At the moment neither Bulgaria nor Romania require entry visas from citizens of the former Soviet Union, including Armenia.
"This means that all they need is an airline ticket, a suitcase full of goods, and an entrepreneurial spirit," a local Armenian said.
Ms. Lena Tchidoyan, born in Tbilisi, Georgia and raised in Yerevan is one example. Larissa Mouradian, Jirair Hagopian and Rafayel Gharibian are others.
Ms. Tchidoyan, who said her husband was a volunteer fighting in Nagorno Karabakh, has been in Russe for eight months.
"I miss home, but life in Yerevan was becoming very difficult. Here, conditions are better and at least I have a steady income," she said.
Why Russe? "Because we do not have a major problem with the local language, we know the system, there is a large Armenian community here, and because this is close to home."
Like many in Russe's flea market, Ms. Tchidoyan sells an assortment of goods from cotton underwear to small electrical heaters and a variety of household items.
Her partner, Larissa, says she "likes it here. Armenians are hard workers and are scattered around the world. It is not important where you live ... what matters is being a good Armenian."
Would she go back to Armenia?
"Sure, but it depends on the situation back home. Life is better here, so maybe we will stay," she says.
Clustered in a remote corner of the Plovdiv flea market, Armenian-owned stalls are constantly on the increase.
"This is what I call strength in unity," says Jirayr Hagopian with a smile. "We feel safer in a group ... we have better security."
Hagopian has reason to be concerned.
Armenian "merchants" often complain of vandalism, theft and blackmail at the hands of roaming bands of gypsies that often terrorize the open-air markets.
"Imagine an Armenian being robbed by a gypsy. Sometimes we are not as clever as we think," he added.
While hundreds of Armenians are making an "honest" living in the Bulgarian and Romanian marketplaces, thousands of others are scattered in the countryside, taking up residence in remote towns and villages working at odd jobs to make ends meet.
Armenian Ambassador to Romania Kevork Kazinian handles scores of cases involving compatriots who often "get into trouble with the law" in Bucharest.
"We should soon have an extradition agreement signed between Armenia and Romania which will be of great help in dealing with some of the problems involving arrests and police detentions," he said in an interview.
"I just handled a case involving a young Armenian girl who wanted to marry a Bulgarian farmer," says Sevda Sevan, Armenia's Honorary Consul to Bulgaria.
"This involved a lot of paperwork from the Interior Ministry in Yerevan to prove that the girl did not have another husband in Armenia. It all ended well, and the newlyweds look very happy," she said.
But there are the difficult cases too.
A family of six has taken "refuge" in one of the rooms adjacent to the Armenian church in Sofia. The able-bodied among them are unemployed and depend on the goodwill of the local parish to feed them and their children.
"What can I do ... throw them out?" says Father Hadavian.
"It's not all roses between our communities and the new comers. The word from Yerevan is: do not encourage people to stay ... tell them to go back to Armenia," adds a community activist.
But despite what often amounts to a cold shoulder, thousands keep coming.
"We often tell them point blank: go back to Armenia. We do this because once word gets to Armenia that anyone arriving in Bulgaria will get all the help he needs, then thousands of Armenians will follow," says a representative of an Armenian relief organization.
"Our policy is not to encourage the newcomers," she said bluntly. "But, of course, we help them if they get desperate," she added.
In the meantime, two flights operate weekly between Armenian and Bulgarian cities, and with no visa requirements, other encouragement is not needed.
Upon landing, the newly arrived Armenians are automatically granted visitor's visas which are open to extension almost at will.
"The planes are always full when they land here, and empty when they leave. Armenians can stay almost as long as they want .. it is that simple," a government official said.
The poor end up in the flea markets peddling their wares. The better-offs among them end up in a variety of sometimes shady business deals involving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
They stay away from the rest of the crowd and the local Armenian community. Some send their children to Armenian schools and few even attend church services on Sundays.
"It is the 1920's all over again. At that time, we were the refugees, the survivors of the Genocide. Today, thousands are leaving Armenia for economic reasons, and it's our turn to help as best as we can. We are poor too," says Father Hadavian.
