Series:Center for the Study of Democracy - CSD Policy Briefs

CSD Policy Brief № 37: The Hidden Economy in Bulgaria: 2011 – 2012

Политически брифинг № 37 на CSD: Скритата икономика в България: 2011 – 2012 г.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The deep penetration of hidden economic activities in Greece and other peripheral Eurozone members – a development which is at the epicenter of the continuing Eurozone debt crisis, has demonstrated that accurate understanding of the dynamics of the hidden economy is essential for improving public and private sector management. In the case of Bulgaria, an assessment of the hidden economy is an issue of particular importance as the country is facing serious challenges in all of its aspects – gray, black and informal economy. It is even more pressing in the light of the country’s current low level of competitiveness and its aspirations for participation in the European stability and sustainable growth initiatives such as Europe 2020 and the Euro-Plus Pact. The hidden economy in Bulgaria has decreased in 2011 – 2012 among both businesses and the population. Yet, the registered gains are modest. Deep structural labor market problems and long-term business environment issues continue to constitute favorable conditions for the development of hidden economic activities in Bulgaria.

CSD Policy Brief № 38: Improving policy and programs for assistance and reintegration of child victims of trafficking in Bulgaria

Политически брифинг № 38 на CSD: Подобряване на политиката и програмите за подпомагане и реинтеграция на деца – жертви на трафик в България

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

This brief presents the main conclusions related to Bulgaria from a comparative study of support programs and reintegration of children - victims of trafficking in the six member states of the European Union, conducted in 2011 and 2012. The survey was carried out by the Center for the Study of Democracy within the project ARECHIVIC in collaboration with partner organisations from Austria, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary and Sweden. With regard to Bulgaria the main approaches, mechanisms and deficiencies in policies and programs for the reintegration of children - victims of trafficking are presented and some recommendations for their improvement are suggested.

CSD Policy Brief №. 111: Europe Will Make Do Without Russian Oil.

CSD Policy Brief №. 111: Europe Will Make Do Without Russian Oil.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: sanctions against Russia;

Europe can survive without Russian oil. The pushback against an EU-wide oil ban is not rooted in reality but in vested political and economic interests. There is sufficient alternative supply to keep the oil market running, while the logistical and pricing arguments against the embargo are exaggerated. A ban on Russian oil imports will deliver a critical blow to Kremlin’s war chest, as the sanctions will remove the Kremlin’s main source of tax revenues and the engine of the whole economy. // The following analysis reveals that the EU-wide ban on Russian oil imports would not undermine the European energy security but will able to significantly weaken the foundations of the Russian eco№mic and political power. It is also a historic opportunity for Europe to cut its malignant dependence not only on Russian fossil fuels but even more importantly on the domestic oligarchic networks that thrive on this relationship. Only in this way could an effective long-term European energy and climate security strategy emerge.

CSD Policy Brief №. 112: Tackling the Kremlin Playbook in Italy: Energy Security Risks and Economic Decoupling.

CSD Policy Brief №. 112: Tackling the Kremlin Playbook in Italy: Energy Security Risks and Economic Decoupling.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

The current geopolitical crisis has demonstrated that Italy needs to put energy security and its governance back at the top of its policy priorities. Despite the rising geopolitical tensions following the Russian annexation of Crimea, the EU in general, and Italy in particular, locked themselves further in an excessive dependence on Russian energy supply. The concurrent expansion of the use of natural gas in the electricity and industrial sectors made for a perfect storm when gas supply shortages in 2021 pushed global prices up and led to a severe deterioration of affordability risks. Meanwhile, the strategic business ties between Russian and Italian companies, in particular the involvement of Italian energy majors, industrial actors, and banks with close ties to the Italian political establishment in the Russian market, has dampened Italy’s resolve for sanctions. // The following analysis, based on the Energy & Climate Security Risk Index, reveals how Italy has emerged as one of the most vulnerable EU countries in terms of security of supply and geopolitical exposure to Russia and other authoritarian states. Italy’s National Energy and Climate Plan should be revised to reflect the need of reducing Italy’s energy sector dependence on the consumption of natural gas by diversifying away from Russia in the short run and phasing out gas completely in the medium run. Focusing the energy policy efforts on the decarbonisation of the energy system would have the strongest impact on improving the nexus between sustainability, affordability, and geopolitical challenges.

CSD Policy Brief №. 113: Energy Security Risks and Russian Economic Influence in Germany: Towards Economic Decoupling.

CSD Policy Brief №. 113: Energy Security Risks and Russian Economic Influence in Germany: Towards Economic Decoupling.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: energy dependency from Russia; anti-Russian sanctions;

Germany has emerged as one of the most vulnerable EU countries in terms of energy and climate security risks. The geopolitical risks have markedly increased since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 due to the growing dependence on Russia and on the consumption of natural gas. The energy security has deteriorated also on the back of glaring governance loopholes, which have been exploited by the Kremlin to cultivate opaque networks of patronage to influence the country’s strategic energy decisions. // The following analysis, based on the Energy & Climate Security Risk Index, reveals how Germany, and by extension, the EU, is struggling to solve the energy policy trilemma of achieving at the same time affordability, reliability of supply and environmental sustainability. Germany faces structural energy and climate security risks that can be overcome only by a long-term policy effort that will bridge the country’s ambitious security of supply and decarbonisation targets.

CSD Policy Brief №. 114: Towards a New Regulatory Framework for Offshore Wind Energy Development in Bulgaria.

Политически брифинг № 114 на CSD: КЪМ НОВА РЕГУЛАТОРНА РАМКА ЗА РАЗВИТИЕ НА ОФШОРНАТА ВЯТЪРНА ЕНЕРГИЯ В БЪЛГАРИЯ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

In the aftermath of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, it is imperative that European countries embark on a new energy policy pathway towards independence from fossil fuel imports. Unlocking the full potential of the European seas for offshore wind energy would play a key role in achieving the EU’s energy and climate security targets in the coming decades until 2050. Bulgaria is the only littoral EU member state yet to begin developing the sector. This policy brief is intended to support Bulgarian policymakers on their journey of adopting and implementing a regulatory framework for offshore wind energy roll-out, while bridging existing governance gaps in the national energy policy. It draws out the contours of a new regulatory framework that reflects the experience of mature markets in Europe. // The adoption of a special law, a Bulgarian Offshore Renewable Energy Act, would be the optimal approach to avoid potential conflicts with other existing legislative acts and secondary legislation. The law would serve to coordinate the competencies of the authorities that govern the different phases of offshore wind project implementation (including planning, construction, operation and decommissioning of power generation facilities at sea). The law will open up market competition and would attract experienced companies from mature markets in Europe. It would guarantee that the Bulgarian government will be positioned to develop the areas with the best natural wind energy potential in the Bulgarian section of the Black Sea at the lowest cost for society and in the most sustainable manner.

CSD Policy Brief №. 115: Countering the Kremlin Playbook in Europe after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.

CSD Policy Brief №. 115: Countering the Kremlin Playbook in Europe after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: state-capture; corruption; anti-Russian sanctions;

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the collapse of Europe’s longstanding Ostpolitik. Accommodating Russia, even when its foreign policy undermines European security, is no longer defensible. This provides a historic window of opportunity for transatlantic cooperation in reinforcing democratic institutions and upholding liberal international order. If anything, the war in Ukraine has made it clear that governments must urgently address political corruption and state capture, which have led to widespread democratic backsliding and allowed the Kremlin to increase its economic and political influence in Europe. // This policy brief maps the key mechanisms of the Kremlin Playbook in Europe. It also provides policy recommendations to completing Europe’s econoic and political decoupling from Russia and for closing glaring governance gaps that can be exploited by Russia to evade the unprecedented sanctions and preserve its influence in strategic sectors.

CSD Policy Brief №. 116: Policy Agenda for Countering Media Capture in Europe.

CSD Policy Brief №. 116: Policy Agenda for Countering Media Capture in Europe.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Both in the run-up to its war in Ukraine and afterward, the Kremlin has intensified its disinformation campaigns, particularly those targeted at Europe. Reversing media capture, which allows Russian disinformation to affect citizen attitudes in Europe, must be the first order of business on the foreign policy agenda on both sides of the Atlantic. The focus of such efforts must go beyond tackling disinformation to expose and decouple critical №des of European media infrastructure from corrosive Russian capital. Countries in Central and Eastern Europe are of particular concern, as some display alarmingly high levels of cognitive capture swaying public opinion towards Russia and its authoritarian model.

CSD Policy Brief №. 117: Promoting Constructive Capital in Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Политически брифинг № 117 на CSD: НАСЪРЧАВАНЕ НА КОНСТРУКТИВНИЯ КАПИТАЛ В БЪЛГАРИЯ И СЕВЕРНА МАКЕДОНИЯ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The war in Ukraine has renewed the EU’s focus on the need for a speedier yet merit-driven integration of the Western Balkans and Eastern Neighborhood countries into the European Union. The European Commission and the member states have sought to resolve outstanding bilateral issues in the region, which have hampered the accession progress and served both as a disruption to integration and an entry point for malign foreign powers such as Russia. One of those outstanding issues is the ongoing tension between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. // In the past two decades, Bulgaria and North Macedonia have achieved considerable political, social, and economic progress. However, both countries face outstanding challenges related to an incomplete reform agenda in the rule of law domain and large gaps between law and practice. Bulgaria still faces a number of protracted socio-economic hurdles, and is the country with the lowest productivity and GDP per capita in the EU. Most notably, the country has not yet become a member of the Schengen Area, despite meeting the technical criteria as early as 2014, the Eurozone (although it is under a currency board arrangement), or the OECD. north Macedonia has yet to complete important structural eco№mic reforms, which has kept unemployment and informality high. EU accession and integration play a significant role in the two countries’ modernization agendas, which have been held back consecutively by the Yugoslav wars, the Eurozone Crisis, and the war in Ukraine, as well as deep-seated bilateral disagreements across South East Europe (SEE).

CSD Policy Brief №. 118: Countering Hybrid Threats in Bulgaria.

Политически брифинг № 118 на CSD: ПРОТИВОДЕЙСТВИЕ НА ХИБРИДНИТЕ ЗАПЛАХИ В БЪЛГАРИЯ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Russia has long prepared its war in Ukraine by deploying the full array of hybrid warfare tools at its disposal in Europe: election meddling and strategic corruption aimed at political parties and media, cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure and disinformation, economic coercion, and targeted assassinations using difficult-to-detect toxic agents, to name a few. Europe has been slow to react, with EU member states failing to anticipate the war in Ukraine even after the Kremlin started preparations for its final act by deliberately reducing gas storage levels in Germany in the autumn of 2021. Some EU and NATO member states and many political party leaders across the continent remain in denial, even as the war approaches a full year of destruction. NATO and European institutions have begun to prepare policy and operational responses to these emerging hybrid threats, but implementation remains slow and uneven. // Over the past two decades, Russian security services have been implicated in a series of high-profile cases in which radioactive and chemical warfare agents were used to poison individuals perceived as adversaries and political opponents. The most well-known of these cases is the 2006 assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, a Russian defector and dissident, for which the Kremlin’s involvement was confirmed in court. The investigations of the novichok poisonings of the former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and opposition leader Alexei Navalny indicate that these incidents have followed a similar pattern to that of Litvinenko. While targeted assassinations are not a novel tactic in the Kremlin’s toolbox for power projection per se, the use of toxic substances traditionally associated with chemical and nuclear weapon programs signals Moscow’s determination to both maintain and deploy its offensive WMD capability, when deemed necessary.

CSD Policy Brief №. 122: Energy Poverty and Decarbonisation. Assessing the Eco№mic Impacts of Carbon Pricing in Central Europe.

Политически брифинг № 122 на CSD: ЕНЕРГИЙНА БЕДНОСТ И ДЕКАРБОНИЗАЦИЯ: ОЦЕНКА НА ВЪЗДЕЙСТВИЕТО НА ЦЕНАТА НА ВЪГЛЕРОДНИТЕ ЕМИСИИ В ЦЕНТРАЛНА ЕВРОПА

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

The European Union is facing one of the most difficult energy and climate security crisis in its history. The surge in energy prices that began already before the Russian invasion in Ukraine has starkly revealed the need for a new global strategy for solving the energy policy trilemma of security of supply, affordability and sustainability, all the while minimizing geopolitical risks. The high fossil energy intensity of most European economies has been a key factor behind the rising energy poverty across the continent. Developing effective policy instruments to accelerate the decarbonisation of the European economy is therefore not only addressing climate security concerns, but will also preserve Europe’s economic competitiveness and social welfare. // Carbon pricing mechanisms could be such tools as they provide incentives to consumers to reduce energy consumption, diversify their energy mix away from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy sources. A comprehensive analysis of the macro- and microeconomic effects of the introduction of a carbon price, developed in collaboration with partners from Germany, Romania, Hungary and Poland, shows that introducing a carbon price, at levels that would achieve a 40% reduction in emissions between 2022 and 2032, would have no significantly negative impact on the countries’ macroeconomic performance and would have the potential to improve overall social welfare, as long as tax revenues are redistributed back to the general population.

CSD Policy Brief №. 123: Investment Screening in Bulgaria.

Политически брифинг № 123 на CSD: СКРИНИНГ НА ИНВЕСТИЦИИТЕ В БЪЛГАРИЯ

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

While sanctions alone cannot stop Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, they play an important role in deterring the regime in the Kremlin from further aggression and denying it the needed resources to continue threatening Europe. However, upholding the sanctions requires a coherent and well-functioning framework for sanctions enforcement across the EU. Enforcement capacity and quality are not the same across the bloc with notable weak-link countries such as Bulgaria - which still lacks practice and an effective investment screening mechanism framework implemented in its national legislation. The need for a secure and well-coordinated framework for screening foreign investment has already been gaining momentum across the world. Prior to the war in Ukraine and, together with other economic security instruments such as state aid, illicit financial flow monitoring, and anti-money laundering, foreign investment screening has been making its way to EUlevel policymaking. Bulgaria needs to build upon and upgrade the EU’s policy and legislative initiatives to ensure its economy does not become an enabler for sanctions evasion, or a magnet for corrosive capital, which would undermine the country’s investment standing and growth prospects among its Euro-Atlantic partners. At the same time implementing such a regime, while urgent, needs to take into account the legitimate grievances and points of view of the private sector investors, so as not to become another tool of repression in Bulgaria’s immature democratic governance environment.

CSD Policy Brief №. 124: Countering Green Deal Disinformation Narratives in Bulgaria.

CSD Policy Brief №. 124: Countering Green Deal Disinformation Narratives in Bulgaria.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: Russia's energy-warfare;

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has once again highlighted the risks associated with the EU’s considerable dependence on conventional energy supplies from Russia. Although the current energy crisis began before the war, Russia exacerbated the situation in an effort to blackmail the EU and its members to abandon their common energy security strategy, green transition plans, and foreign policy stance in support of Ukraine. The invasion has, however, served to expedite the EU’s diversification away from Russian energy and has also shown signs of potentially hastening the transition away from fossil fuels. As such, the European Green Deal has taken on a new significance as a means of addressing the implications of the war and of reducing the EU’s dependence on Russian energy and its vulnerability to the Kremlin’s authoritarian overreach. // Bulgaria remains one of the most vulnerable EU and NATO member states to foreign authoritarian influence. The country has long been among the Kremlin’s favourite targets and playgrounds for its information warfare. The Kremlin’s propaganda and disinformation in the country have increasingly targeted the European Green Deal, as part of its ongoing campaign of promoting large-scale Russian energy projects. In 2021 most of the local disinformation related to the Green Deal in Bulgaria was produced and disseminated by Bulgarian media and political and economic entities known for systematically amplifying the Kremlin’s influence. Given Bulgaria’s significant vulnerability to disinformation and the low levels of information literacy in the country, these activities cast doubt on Bulgaria’s ability to abide by its commitments regarding the Green Deal.

CSD Policy Brief №. 125: Solving the Energy Poverty and Decarbonisation Conundrum with Carbon Pricing.

CSD Policy Brief №. 125: Solving the Energy Poverty and Decarbonisation Conundrum with Carbon Pricing.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: energy-dependency from Russia;

Bulgaria is facing some of the most severe energy poverty risks in the EU. Skyrocketing energy prices and high inflation rates following the Russian invasion in Ukraine have starkly demonstrated the detrimental impact from the slow pace of the energy transition and the excessive fossil energy intensity of the Bulgarian economy. At the same time, Kremlin-linked disinformation narratives that blame high energy prices on the EU Green Deal aim to undermine political stability and to delay the country’s long-term decarbonisation policy, ultimately keeping Bulgaria in the current socio-economic, political and energy path-dependencies. // Carbon pricing, the cornerstone of the EU de­carbonisation strategy, coupled with well-implemented tax revenue redistribution policies, could contrib­ute to a net welfare gain for the poorest 50% of Bulgarian households, reducing energy poverty and social inequalities in the country. It would also provide macroeconomic benefits such as improving the labour market conditions, increasing the value added of the energy sector, and strengthening energy security without slowing economic growth in the process. These are some of the key takeaways from a comprehensive assessment of the macro- and microeconomic effects of the introduction of carbon pricing to cover the entire national economies of Bulgaria Germany, Romania, Hungary and Poland.

CSD Policy Brief №. 126: Illicit Financial Flows and Disinformation in Southeast Europe.

CSD Policy Brief №. 126: Illicit Financial Flows and Disinformation in Southeast Europe.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: hybrid war; Russia's energy-warfare;

Southeast Europe (SEE) remains one of the most vulnerable soft targets for the Kremlin’s ongoing hybrid war against the European Union and the democratic West. The combination of state and media capture, simmering ethnic divisions both between and within countries, and the legacy of Russian cognitive bias all make the region vulnerable to Kremlin’s aggression following their invasion of Ukraine. Illicit finance and disinformation are two of the most potent sharp power tools that the Kremlin has deployed to undermine democratic processes in Southeast Europe. The usage of these tools has also provided fertile ground for the corrosive influence of China and other authoritarian powers. // Illicit financial flows (IFFs) underpin state and media capture oligarchic networks across SEE. Amounting to 6% of the region’s GDP, IFFs are more pervasive in the Balkans than the global average, which stands at 3-5% of world GDP. Widespread disinformation is one of the most insidious symptoms of media capture in SEE. Serbia in particular has emerged as the primary launchpad for both illicit financial flows and pro-Kremlin disinformation in the Western Balkans. However, Bulgaria’s experience has demonstrated that even EU membership does not wipe these problems away. Tackling the nexus of IFFs and media capture in the Balkans calls for continued democratization and rule of law reforms within the framework of an accelerated EU integration. Political leaders throughout the region should be called to account for their support, either open or indirect, of outside authoritarian influence and corrosive capital inflows.

CSD Policy Brief №. 127: At a Decarbonisation Crossroads. Assessing the Feasibility and Policy Pathways for Climate Neutrality in Bulgaria.

CSD Policy Brief №. 127: At a Decarbonisation Crossroads. Assessing the Feasibility and Policy Pathways for Climate Neutrality in Bulgaria.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Keywords: energy-dependency from Russia;

In the aftermath of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the EU has raised its overall decarbonisation ambitions via the REPowerEU initiative. The EU has defined a new energy and climate security strategy that aims to decouple from the dependence on fossil fuel imports on the basis of accelerating renewable energy investments, boosting energy savings and diversifying and friendshoring the supply of energy and materials. Yet, amid the continuing political instability, Bulgaria has been reluctant to update its 2030 climate targets. The country can utilize the EU funds at its disposal to create the necessary investment environment for ushering a private sector and citizen-led switch to renewables en masse. Instead Bulgarian policy-makers remain focused on a few unnecessary large infrastructure projects and the preservation of coal, beyond agreed deadlines. Without an effective and transparent spending plan with long-term objectives and indicators for success, the transition could cause a popular backlash. // The current analysis aims to draw the key policy lessons from the introduction of the Pathways Explorer-based decarbonisation scenarios for Bulgaria into the report of the national Energy Transition Commission (ETC), the body that will form the basis for the country’s Climate Neutrality Roadmap by 2050 (also a milestone of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)).

CSD Policy Brief №. 128: Turning the Tide: A Policy Agenda for Re-Engaging the Western Balkans.

CSD Policy Brief №. 128: Turning the Tide: A Policy Agenda for Re-Engaging the Western Balkans.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Over the last twenty years, the countries of Western Balkans have introduced significant democratic reforms and made a considerable shift toward a market economy. The rise of reformist politicians, external support from international partners, and an active civil society have ensured that advanced democratic standards have been adopted, at least nominally, in the works of government. Internal and external factors are converging to make the next few years a critical juncture for the Western Balkans. The momentum towards better governance and economic prosperity is wearing down. A number of urgent policy actions are needed to return the region to the reform track. The following policy action agenda aims to provide detailed high-level policy measures for national stakeholders and international partners that can reignite the region’s reformist momentum. The policy action agenda also draws out a framework for enabling constructive capital and stronger U.S. and European political engagement as meaningful alternatives to Chinese and Russian malign economic and political influence.

CSD Policy Brief №. 129: The Future of the Western Balkans in the Shadow of the War in Ukraine.

CSD Policy Brief №. 129: The Future of the Western Balkans in the Shadow of the War in Ukraine.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): English

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought a new sense of urgency to the question of the Western Balkans’ Euro-Atlantic future. The Western Balkans is facing an uphill struggle in its aspirations to join the European Union. The EU, for its part, is attempting to maintain a hard line on rule of law and democracy standards while keeping the prospect of accession credible. High levels of administrative corruption in the region are compounded by the inability of the judiciary to effectively enforce anticorruption laws. // Labour productivity in the region is low; there is high monopolisation in a number of sectors, regulations are burdensome for business, and taxation policy is erratic. Meanwhile, the deterioration of the media landscape has led to widespread media capture. In turn, this has allowed a proliferation of disinformation and pro-Russian propaganda across the region, spread by both state-owned and private media channels. // The following policy brief presents a concise picture of the long-term socio-economic and democratic challenges that the Western Balkan countries face in a situation of global power competition, malign influence form authoritarian regimes, corruption and state capture, energy poverty and lack of efficient decarbonization policies and investments, brain-drain and aging population. It also provides an initial list of measures needed to counter these barriers to the region’s development, which could be implemented with the support of the EU and international community, policy-makers and donors

CSD Policy Brief №. 130: Breaking Free: Natural Gas Security and Decarbonization in Southeast Europe.

Политически брифинг № 130 на CSD: ЕНЕРГИЙНА НЕЗАВИСИМОСТ: СИГУРНОСТ НА ГАЗОВИТЕ ДОСТАВКИ И ДЕКАРБОНИЗАЦИЯ В ЮГОИЗТОЧНА ЕВРОПА

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Keywords: energy-dependency from Russia;

Countries in Southeast Europe (SEE) are facing rising energy and climate security risks exacerbated by the Russian invasion in Ukraine. The region’s historical lack of diversification options for Russian oil and gas, the slow pace of the energy transition, and the more acute energy poverty issues have made the region most vulnerable to the energy crisis. To address its impacts, SEE governments need to adopt a new long-term policy approach with ambitious security of supply and decarbonization targets. // This policy brief presents the key takeaways a detailed assessment of the long-term visions for the security of natural gas supply and for the acceleration of fossil fuel phaseout in Southeast Europe (SEE). In all gas security/decarbonization scenarios assessed, gas demand reduction policies can alleviate Southeast Europe’s vulnerability to Russia’s blackmail and contribute to stronger energy and climate security.

CSD Policy Brief №. 132: Alternative Regional Just Transition Profile of Stara Zagora.

Политически брифинг № 132 на CSD: АЛТЕРНАТИВЕН ПРОФИЛ НА СПРАВЕДЛИВИЯ ПРЕХОД В ОБЛАСТ СТАРА ЗАГОРА

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian

Stara Zagora is the largest coal district in Bulgaria and its economy is highly dependent on fossil fuels. The bulk of the local industries are energy intensive and have been slow to take up low-carbon technological solutions. The district holds the potential to more than offset the lost revenue and jobs in the coal sector with new opportunities in industrial manufacturing, which shows the biggest growth potential over the past de­cade. Stepping on a comprehensive stakeholder consultations and survey, CSD’s current analysis zooms into the key socio-economic characteristics of the district, presenting an alternative perspective of the short- and long-term decarbonisation challenges and potential for economic transformation of Stara Zagora district.