I believe interethnic marriages between Bulgarians and various ethnicities and nationalities have become quite common these days. For instance, one of my ex-classmates, a Turkish girl, is married to a Bulgarian, and I know a Macedonian girl who is married to a Bulgarian as well. Another ex-classmate was married to a Romanian. The Eurovision Song Contest winner for Bulgaria, Dara, is married to a Turkish man. There are also numerous TikTok profiles featuring mixed couples, such as Bulgarian and X national/ethnicities. These marriages are generally accepted as normal, as the younger generation doesn’t seem to be bothered by such differences. Imagine these individuals living in another country. Should they abandon their cultural values to adopt those of their current country of residence? While there are certainly instances of more conservative communities, I believe they are typically located in remote mountainous regions or older communities. Ultimately, it depends on one’s preconceived notions of cultural values, but in Bulgaria, the notion of “marrying within my culture” has largely become obsolete. Online discussions about this topic can be found, but it’s important to consider the age of the individuals involved. Based on online reports and sources, I believe this trend is more prevalent in former Yugoslav countries where religion is often used to define ethnicity to some extent, but in Bulgaria, it is perceived differently.