Регионално неравенство и демографски упадък в селските райони на Източна Европа: икономически предизвикателства и възможни политики
Regional Inequality and Demographic Decline in Rural Eastern Europe: Economic Challenges and Policy Responses

Author(s): Stanislava Aleksandrova
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, National Economy, Business Economy / Management, Sociology, Demography and human biology, Rural and urban sociology, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: regional inequality; depopulation; Eastern Europe; Rural development; public policy
Summary/Abstract: Regional inequality and demographic decline are deeply intertwined challenges for sustainable development in Eastern Europe. While major cities attract capital and labor, rural regions face persistent depopulation, poverty, and limited access to infrastructure and services, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of marginalization. This article examines these dynamics with a focus on Bulgaria, where peripheral areas such as the Northwest record some of the EU’s lowest GDP per capita levels and fastest population loss. Drawing on theories of cumulative causation, core–periphery models, and migration push–pull factors, the study highlights how economic stagnation drives outmigration while demographic decline undermines growth potential. The article argues that markets alone cannot reduce disparities and calls for active public policies: investment in SMEs, modernized agriculture, digital and transport connectivity, improved healthcare and education, and demographic incentives.

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