Сравнителен анализ на публичните разходи за предучилищно и начално училищно образование в страните от Европейския съюз

Author(s): Velichka Nikolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Investing in education by the government can be seen as a key factor in the prosperity of both the individual and society as a whole. In this regard, in the process of gaining knowledge, it is essential to lay the foundations, which is achieved through education in the early childhood. To this end, the present report focuses on public expenditure on pre-primary and primary education which has been compared across the European Union member states.

"Сребърната икономика" в Европа и ролята на социалните иновации за подобряване качеството на живот на потребителите на социални услуги

Author(s): Tanya Vazova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The growing trend of an aging population in Europe highlights the challenges, innovations and new policies needed to improve the lives of older people. The development and use of the available labour potential of all people of working age is an important task to address demographic challenges. We need to prepare and adapt to reality by accepting people over 60+, and sometimes over 50+, as a resource important to society, not a burden. In the conditions of the modern changes two tendencies in relation to the aging population stand out: the opportunity to be useful both for themselves and for society in the new realities, taking into account their activity and "common sense"; the development of the "silver economy", which includes all economic activities related to production, health, social, educational and other services designed to meet the needs and improve the quality of life of older people. The impact of population aging is presented in this report; the concept of the "silver economy" is considered, including a wide range of activities that meet the needs of older people as consumers and presents good innovative practices developed and implemented in some EU member states.

Новото световно безредие

Author(s): Lyubomir Kyuchukov / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The erosion of the post-war world order does not necessarily lead to the establishment of a new one, it rather creates a new world disorder. The existing order is based on international institutions (first and foremost – the UN system) and international law, but no such new ones are set up. However, the war in Ukraine will have a long-term negative effect on world’s developments: whenever and however it takes an end, provided that it does not evolve into a global conflict, we will have to face a deeply divided, confronted and militarised world, dominated by policies, based on the position of force and a fight over spheres of influence, with no mutual confidence and no prospect for political dialogue.

Tourism Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of Bulgaria and the Neighbouring Countries

Author(s): Petya Ivanova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

The main aim of this paper is to analyze some key indicators determining the degree of tourism sustainability. It studies tourism sustainability indicators in Bulgaria compared with its neighbouring countries and uses an established methodological apparatus for studying tourism sustainability, developed by the World Economic Forum. The research places emphasis on an analysis of the balance in the triple bottom line of economic-environmental-social goals determining sustainability. The research methodology includes theoretical-methodological analysis, comparative analysis, empirical analysis, systemic approach. Based on the analysis carried out, the strengths of the offered tourist product in Bulgaria are highlighted, as well as the weaknesses regarding sustainability, which need improvement measures.

Kraje rozwijające się wobec wyzwań globalnych

Author(s): Katarzyna A. Nawrot / Language(s): Polish Publication Year: 0

The purpose of the chapter is to reflect on global challenges from the perspective of developing countries, what is significant in order to prevent developmental disproportions from deepening. The following global challenges were identified and described: poverty and hunger, developmental inequalities, degradation of the environment and global security. Descriptive and comparative analysis methods were used in order to prepare the chapter, supplemented by presentation of research results, obtained mainly on the basis of selected descriptive statistics methods. The statistical database of the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation and International Monetary Fund were used. Marginalisation of the developing countries and the challenges they are facing may bring tragic, and what is more global repercussions and, consequently, lead to a new division of the world, escalation of hatred, wars of Western civilisations with the followers of the extreme ideologies, rising inequalities and large uncontrolled migrations, among others. We are witnessing the destruction of ecosystems, global warming, cross continental terrorism, the problems of poverty and hunger – these are just a few of the consequences of ignorance of the problems of developing countries. The interconnections of the modern world economy leave no doubt that actions to solve them should be supported by the global community and their solutions cannot be solved without global involvement.

Impact of Demographic Factors on Economic Activity in Bulgaria's Rural Territories

Author(s): Julia Doitchinova,Elitsa Lazarova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Bulgaria has one of the fastest rates of population decline in the EU and the world. In 2021, the value is observed to be 21.6% lower compared to the value recorded in 2001. Changes in rural areas are even more dynamic and have a negative impact on their development opportunities. This paper aims to examine and analyse the economic activity of the rural population using statistical data obtained from population censuses. The analysis is mainly focused on the interdependencies between economic activity, employment in agriculture and their implications for the rural economy. Correlation and regression analysis were applied to test the research hypotheses. The summary of the obtained results shows that the coefficient of economic activity rises until 2020, but activity is uneven and at different rates in different regions, with the coefficient being lower in villages at the expense of economic activity in cities; • The unemployment rate in Bulgaria has gone through three stages: until 2013, it was in double digits, then it dropped to 4.2 (in 2021), and in 2019, an increase began, which varied greatly by region. The unemployment rate is significantly higher in the villages, with the most significant differences in the younger age groups; • The correlation analysis revealed a weak, positive, and insignificant relationship between the rural population and the coefficient of economic activity, as well as the presence of a medium, positive, and significant relationship between the rural population and the agricultural labour force; According to the regression analysis, Annual work unit has a positive and significant influence on the population in rural areas, indicating that agricultural specialization and automation are still in their early stages in Bulgaria, and the workforce in the industry is structure-determining Demographic processes have a negative impact on rural development. A cyclical pattern emerges wherein a declining local economy and depopulation coexist and mutually reinforce one another. A decline in demographic potential and a lack of human capital may limit investment flow. For these reasons, investing in human capital is regarded as a critical means of reversing unfavourable trends in demographic structures and processes in all countries affected by accelerated aging and depopulation. This includes improving the health-care system, education, and other social services, as well as raising the living standards of rural inhabitants. To achieve this goal, regional demographic policies must be developed that take into account the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of each region.

Tрансхуманизмът като важен фактор в осъществяването на политически промени

Author(s): Ivan Kolev / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The subject of the research is transhumanism and its influence on political changes. The report is a revised part of the dissertation chapters I defended in January 2023. The paper's title is: „Transhumanism and human enhancement: conceptual perspectives, communities, and risks“. The scientific and technological expansion helps the emergence of political parties professing a transhumanist ideology. The analysis uses data obtained by conducting 1 semi-structured interview with a leader of a transhumanist party; from party manifestos, documents, literature, and research by other scholars on the subject. The political landscape is updated with themes related to transhumanism: especially the attitude toward applying NBIC technologies (nanotechnology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and robotics).

Подготвени за пазара на труда: иновативни стратегии за професионална реализация

Author(s): Spasimira Davidova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The article analyzes the necessity of introducing new approaches in education related to preparing young individuals for the contemporary, dynamic labor market. The author explores innovative strategies for students' preparation in higher education institutions. Through a review of educational domains, collaboration with the business sector, and innovative trends, the article defines strategies aimed at improving preparation for the modern work environment. The article emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between education and industry. With an innovative approach, it underscores the significance of lifelong learning and adaptive thinking. Innovative strategies are crucial for preparing young people for the contemporary job market. These strategies not only lay the foundation for a successful career but also cultivate a sustainable approach to professional development.

Възможности за корпоративна институционализация на доброволчеството

Author(s): Milena Tzakovska / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Volunteering in modern society has developed more and more in the context of the evaluation of its manifestation. The very concept of volunteering tends to emerge from the bosom of quiet and undisclosed goodness and moves to a level where it seeks widespread popularity, both as specific events and their results, as well as the results as a whole. Thus, the good example is multiplied by giving the opportunity to a wider range of people to receive information about the result of the voluntary activity and its effects. This trend is also projected on the ever-deeper inclusion of volunteers as part of the corporate culture. The incorporation of voluntary work into the corporate sphere is an expression of the possibility of its institutionalization. It is expressed in outlining the parameters of volunteering in terms of the attitudes of employees to be included in them, as well as describing the role and meaning that volunteering brings to society, to the organization and its image. At the organizational management level, this is realized by including the topic of volunteering in the components of quality management systems, in particular – in social responsibility. This trend is observed both in the private sector and in public organizations.

Population in Rural Areas – Twenty Years of Poland's Membership in the EU

Author(s): Agnieszka Wrzochalska / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Since the beginning of the 21st century, a few positive changes have taken place in rural areas in Poland, including those concerning rural society. At the same time, the countryside has begun to become an attractive place to live, especially areas located near cities, well connected to them. The aspirations and needs of the rural population have begun to resemble the needs of city dwellers. The lifestyle of residents in cities and rural areas has begun to become more uniform. A smaller and smaller percentage of the population has begun to work in agriculture. Several non-agricultural jobs have been created in rural areas, and non-agricultural jobs are also available in nearby towns. Therefore, expanding the educational competences or the level of formal education of the rural population to increase its importance on the labor market in the city and in the countryside is very important. At the same time, both the average size of the farm and the scale of neighboring leases have increased (Karwat-Woźniak, 2015; Karwat-Woźniak and Buks, 2022) and, to put it simply, it can be noted that even in one village, only a few professionally trained farmers (Doichinova, Stoyanova, 2020) run a farm. A positive phenomenon is the increase in the life expectancy of Polish residents, but at the same time, the progressive process of population ageing has been noted. During the period of EU membership, the rural population realized its educational aspirations by increasing the level of education and reducing educational differences in relation to the population in cities. Activities to popularize adult education have become important, consisting both in improving accessibility and in raising awareness of the benefits of lifelong learning and acquiring civilizational competences, including improving digital skills. It should be noted that the course of demographic phenomena, starting from 2020, was greatly influenced by the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic, which contributed to a higher number of deaths than in previous years and thus deepening the unfavorable trends of population ageing that have appeared in the last dozen or so years in our country and Europe. The article is an attempt to make a social, and primarily demographic, characterization of rural residents in Poland at the threshold of the third decade of the 21st century and the changes that have taken place in this area over the last twenty years.

Управление на водния сектор и екологична справедливост: съпротива или оцеляване на кв. "Надежда" в Сливен

Author(s): Rositsa Kratunkovа / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Since 1989, Bulgaria has been undergoing rapid economic restructuring, affecting urban governance and the equitable distribution of resources. In Sliven, the mass closure of factories and the layoff of Roma workers accelerated the processes of spatial segregation and ghettoization, thus creating racialized poverty. The water sector also suffers from chronic underinvestment, which often leads to water supply interruptions in the city. The Roma from the Nadezhda district are considered guilty of the accumulated economic losses of the Sliven Water and Sewerage Company by the institutions, which become scapegoats for the structural problems. At the same time the interests of the business trump the needs of the population for drinking water. As a result, the water supply in the district is interrupted every night. This situation raises questions about how the marginalized urban population can resist and demand access to basic rights such as the right to water. In addition to the tactics of the locals, the report also draws attention to the other, institutional side – what oppressive practices the authorities use. The theoretical framework of infrapolitics, conceived by James Scott, situates the low-intensity actions and gestures of subordinate groups in the context of collective political action and helps to illustrate how Roma in Nadezhda act politically. This is considered against the backdrop of how water governance reconfigures social relations and governance structures, using the prism of the hydrosocial cycle of water.

На децата – с обич и омерзение. Корени на обществените резерви срещу политиките за безплатни лекарства за децата в България

Author(s): Venelin L. Stoychev / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The report presents an analysis of data on child healthcare from the National Institute of Statistics, the National Health Insurance Fund, the National Institute of Health Insurance, Eurostat and an empirical study by the LARGO association, focused on the topic of free medicines for children. The analysis reveals that children are (no longer) a consensus value in Bulgarian society. Last year, the National Health Insurance Fund paid out 16 million leva on the main clinical pathways for children‘s hospitalizations, and parents made private investments of over 1 billion leva for medicines for Bulgaria‘s children. On average, a parent in our country pays 562.32 leva just for medicines per child per year, according to the study data. Every second parent finds it difficult to cover the costs of their child‘s medicines. However, public opinion in our country is strongly divided on the topic of free medicines for children due to the levels of distrust in our society, doubts about corruption and lobbying, anti-vaccination attitudes, and the normalization of public speaking from the standpoint of racism and xenophobia.

Цел осем от целите за устойчиво развитие 2030 и младите хора на пазара на труда в България

Author(s): Desislava Koleva-Stefanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Проблемите в измерването на стандарта на живот: критичен поглед върху методология и инструменти

Author(s): Yavor Merdzhanov,Yordanka Sestrimska / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

Measurement tools are often used to evaluate social aspects connected to society. Such tools are used to create and implement different development policies. The measurement tools are used to estimate social indicators, such as the standard of living. However, it is also important to consider to what extent these tools can create an illusion of progress and stability. The different approaches and theories show that the social reality is multilayered and requires a deeper understanding to accurately reflect the social processes and social relations. The paper analyses a study related to the regional priorities of the districts in Bulgaria conducted by the Institute for Market Economics (IME) to check whether there is an inconsistency between the general and detailed results and the methodology used to analyse the data.

Език, култура, интеграция: как три европейски държави подпомагат мигрантските ученици

Author(s): Mihaela Misheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Publication Year: 0

The study presents a comparative analysis of best practices for the integration of migrant students in Bulgaria, Spain, and Italy. The focus is on language adaptation, social inclusion, and institutional support, examining various practices and educational methods. The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining sociological, pedagogical, and migration analyses to assess the effectiveness and sustainability of integration initiatives. The key findings indicate that successful strategies include mentoring programs, personalized integration plans, and the development of intercultural educational models. Based on the analysis, recommendations are provided for improving Bulgaria‘s policy on the integration of migrant students.

The Role of Digital Skills in Driving Digital Transformation and Economic Growth

Author(s): Anastasiia Mostova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Digital transformation is reshaping economies and societies, making digital skills a critical driver of economic growth and competitiveness. This paper explores the role of digital competence in fostering digital transformation, emphasizing its importance for job creation, social progress, and overcoming global challenges such as unemployment and inequality. A linear regression model is used to analyze the relationship between digital skills and digital competitiveness in EU countries, providing insights into effective policy directions.