What is the basis of our population at the moment — one million Roma, 700 000 Turks, 2,5 million retirees. This is what GERB is facing. And what about you — a million-and-a-half who ran away?... The human material that we are left with as voters and as a pool for recruiting staff — it is really not that big. It is easy to say: 'we rely on you'.

Speaking to Bulgarian expatriates in Chicago, as quoted in "Mayor of Sofia insinuates that Roma, Turks and retirees are 'bad human material'" in The Telegraph (6 February 2009)

Mayor of Sofia brands Roma, Turks and retirees 'bad human material' - Telegraph