Homeless people in Sofia are the focus of a European study

There are significantly fewer homeless people in Sofia in comparison to major European cities. This is shown by data released today from an international study under an international project covering 35 European cities, funded by the European Commission. The census of homeless people in the capital was conducted in the period October 20 to 26. Sofia is the first Bulgarian city to join the initiative.

Preliminary data show that in Lyon there are 12 times more homeless people, in Brussels - 11 times, in Budapest - five times and in Bucharest - three times more than those in Sofia. 53 volunteers, including people of the Bulgarian Red Cross and the Order of Malta, not only counted, but also collected information on how long people have been on the streets, their health, condition, needs, professions. The final data will be known in January 2026, the Sofia Municipality announced.

Three homeless centers with a capacity of over 500 places operate in the capital city, as they are 80% full.