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Connecting Ecologies: Egypt and the Balkans during the Climate Crisis in the Mid-1780’s

Author(s): Hristo Hristov / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

This article examines a brief episode from the Little Ice Age and its impact over the Ottoman empire during mid-1780’s. It aims to explore the transregional connections in the Eastern Mediterranean, driven by the adverse socio-economic consequences of climate stress after the eruption of Iceland's Laki volcano in 1783 –1784. The study tends to set up a series of causations illustrating how a certain global climatic event has considerable local socio-economic influences that test the Ottoman provisioning system and create a possibility for central administration to connect remote ecological zones in order to meet the necessities of food supply across the Mediterranean. Current scientific research utilizing archives of nature, such as dendrochronology, ice core analysis, sediment studies, and pollen analysis, provides insights into the past climate. This data corresponds with a range of written records meticulously maintained in archives of societies, with the most significant for this study being the documents preserved in the Ottoman archives. The written sources examined in this paper emphasize on the logistical coordination between two remote ecological zones: the Balkans and Egypt, situating this coordination within the larger context of political, economic, and social instability of the Ottoman Empire in a period of climatic stress. The Ottoman provisioning system of grain supplies connected food shortages in Egypt and the Hejaz to different agricultural areas in the Balkans and the Black Sea basin in order to mitigate the crisis in the Nile valley. Although this aid had a temporary effect, it nevertheless demonstrated the extent of the state’s administration ability to balance the natural resources across the vast territory of the empire.

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Real Prices, Real Incomes, and Purchasing Power during Communism, Transition and EU Integration: Evidence from Bulgaria

Author(s): Ralitsa Simeonova-Ganeva,Kaloyan Ganev,Martin Ivanov / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

In this study, we consider real prices, real wages, real pensions, purchasing power, and consumption in Bulgaria during communism, transition, and EU integration. We focus on a range of essential goods representative of Bulgarian household consumption. We compile the corresponding data series based on official publications by the Bulgarian statistical authorities. The real values are computed using a unified index of consumer prices for all periods under consideration. We find that the significant increase in nominal incomes during communism, matched by administrative price controls, led to artificially high real wages and purchasing power. As this was achieved in an economy characterised by continuous shortages and accumulating inflationary pressures, we claim that the severe economic downturn and high inflation in the 1990s were inevitable. For transition, we point to the process of restoration of economic logic, the re-equilibration of markets, and the ensuing drop in real incomes as the main causes of purchasing power losses. We argue that this deterioration of real incomes manifests the price paid by society for decades of economic mismanagement. Concerning EU integration, we explain the rapidly increasing real incomes, purchasing power, and consumption with the development of the Bulgarian economy in those years, following the well-established principles of sound economic management. Notably, we demonstrate that at the end of the reviewed period, given the presence of real prices that were very close to their historical lows, real incomes and purchasing power surpassed communist-era peaks. This study contributes to the literature by providing new long term data on important economic indicators for Bulgaria. This paves the way for further research involving comparisons of the past and present economies.

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Преходни форми на стопански живот през ХVІІІ век в румелийските провинции на Османската империя: бариери и перспективи

Author(s): Krasimira Mutafova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The reforms carried out in the military and fiscal system of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries, had a significant meaning for the changes in economic life and the establishment of transitional forms in the development of agriculture and the urban economy. All of them – mukâta’as, malikânes, waqfs, çiftliks –are known from the previous period as well, but acquired different dimensions and directions of development in the conditions of the 18th century. The research is focused on the widespread penetration of the iltizam system in various sectors of the economy in the 18th century, including in the structures of the Orthodox Church. On the example of published and unpublished Ottoman documents – mainly mufassil (detailed) defteris, annual income-expenditure statements, the so called suret, suret-i ruznamçe hakani, arzuhals, etc. – the study attempts to trace the role of the mukâta’as and the malikane system in the agrarian sector and the urban economy in the Rumeli provinces of the Ottoman Empire, respectively the degree of state intervention, the imposed barriers and the opportunities for economic development in perspective.

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Комисионни и рушвети – скритите оръжия във външната търговия на Народна република България

Author(s): Nikolay Yanev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

Corruption has attracted the attention of researchers and experts as an obstacle to growth and a burden on public finances. Where the concerned mind sees a threat to good governance, the clever swindler finds an opportunity for profit. The managers of foreign trade in socialist Bulgaria are no exception. Behind the slogans of solidarity with Third World countries, state-owned enterprises that operate openly or covertly abroad deploy a wide network of corrupt dependencies to secure their interests through the generous distribution of “bribes” and “commissions”, two concepts that easily transform into each other. We find abundant documentary evidence of such practices in the court archive of the comprehensive case against the executives of the state-owned commercial enterprise “Texim”. The trial itself shows the contagious example of bribery, which from being a means of influence in foreign countries has settled into the organizational culture of the Bulgarian company, opening the door to various forms of abuse of office.

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Лимитите на растежа в контекста на екологичната трансформация на икономиката в ЕС и България

Author(s): Vanya Ivanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The use of natural resources, in particular material flows, is not only one of the main drivers of economic growth, but also leads to resource depletion and environmental problems. Existing infrastructure, economic models and technologies, together with established behaviours, keep the economy ‘locked in’ to the linear model. It operates in a one-way pattern of resource – production – consumption – waste. The life of resources in Europe is limited to a single cycle. Today’s economy throws away more and more of the materials we extract from nature, which are increasingly difficult to degrade but have a high residual value when reused. In order to achieve economic growth without increasing the quantitative consumption of mineral resources and without adverse effects on the environment, it is necessary to carry out a decoupling analysis that combines both resource decoupling and environmental impact decoupling. The attempts to overcome the limits to growth, which began in the 1970s, take on new nuances in the context of the environmental transformation of economies today. The aim of this study is to analyse the extent to which the process of decoupling growth from resource dependence is being realised in EU countries and in Bulgaria in particular. Based on a descriptive analysis of the dynamics of the indicators economic growth rate and resource productivity in the period 1980–2020, the results show an albeit slow and uneven positive trend in Europe and a significant lag in Bulgaria. In the face of rising prices and resource depletion, this is becoming an increasingly risky factor for business development. From an economic point of view, therefore, the interest in reducing these costs, using them more efficiently and optimising raw material flows is fully justified. The paper draws conclusions about the place of the circular economy in this process and points to some opportunities for deepening the processes of transition towards a resource–efficient and environmentally friendly economy.

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Динамика и конвергенция на производителността на труда в България към еврозоната: сравнителен анализ с останалите страни от Централна и Източна Европа

Author(s): Stela Raleva,Dimitar Zlatinov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The paper provides an analysis of labour productivity dynamics in Bulgaria in 1970–2019 and assesses the convergence to the euro area in comparison with other CEE countries. Based on the data from Pen world table, we measure convergence by the deviations from euro area average productivity levels and by employing panel models of absolute β-convergence. The results show an increasing tendency in labour productivity, a decreasing trend in its growth rates, the existence of significant peculiarities and internal heterogeneity of the three distinct periods (the last two decades of socialism, the 1990s and the first two decades of the 21st century). It is proved that at the end of the first period Bulgaria was ahead of Romania, Poland and Estonia in terms of labour productivity, at the end of the second period – only of Romania, and in the third period it started to lag behind all other CEE countries. The strongest deterioration in Bulgaria’s relative position over time has been recorded vis-à-vis Romania, and the largest lag in the level by 2019 is vis-à-vis Poland. The results from the estimation of the β-convergence model at 1990 base year indicate the existence of a catching-up process for the countries as a whole and the absence of such a process for Bulgaria. In the 2000-based model, labour productivity in Bulgaria converges with the euro area, but least among all countries in the region. Compared to Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia, this is a consequence of a lower starting base, compared to Romania – of lower growth rates, and compared to the other countries – of a combination of both.

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Динамика на пространствената концентрация на икономиката в България след 2007 година – възможности и бариери

Author(s): Nedko Minchev,Veneta Hristova,Ivan Stoyanov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

Bulgaria’s membership in the EU in 2007 is a turning point in our history. Following the slogan “Europe of the Regions”, the country has turned to seeking the right instruments for regional development and planning the spatial concentration of individual industries to meet common policies and standards in the Union. The complex contemporary socio-economic processes and dynamically changing development conditions impose some specific requirements on the scientific justification of political and purely economic decisions. This implies a good knowledge and proper use of the basic models for analyzing trends in the dynamics of the spatial concentration of economic activities and taking into account the characteristic features of the development of the territory concerned. Although more than 15 years have passed since our accession, the differences between the regions are widening. Moreover, Bulgaria is also home to the poorest region in the entire Union. By 2024, there is still a serious gap between the real and the desired picture in this direction. This paper seeks to address this problem through an in-depth statistical and economic study of the dynamics of economic concentration in the country since 2007, with the aim of tracing the dynamics of the spatial location of economic activities. The subject of the study is the spatial and sectoral concentration of enterprises in the country, and the object of study is enterprises and employees in the territory of the country in aggregate form by planning regions and type of activity carried out by sectors of the economy. Through the macro analysis carried out, the existing trends over the years are sought and outlined, and findings on the dynamics of the spatial concentration of the economy in Bulgaria are derived. A chronological approach is used and time constants and variables are identified. The chosen methodology allows to trace the evolution of these dynamics while identifying persistent favorable and/or unfavorable correlations and practices. The approach based on the past will indicate in which directions policy instruments supporting the development of regions should be focused. The results obtained show the systematic absence of national and regional policies to manage the processes of spatial concentration of economic resources in territorial terms.

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Водните бедствия като бариера пред развитието. По примера на Карлово в началото на XX век

Author(s): Aleksandar Zlatanov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The socio-economic situation of the town of Karlovo and the surrounding area after 1878 was difficult, and the prospects for economic development were uncertain. The new economic realities and free competition accelerated the process of decline of the old crafts and livelihoods, while the local authorities and the central government failed to support the local craft and textile industries. The transition from proto-industrial to factory production proved unsuccessful in the first decades after 1878, despite isolated successful initiatives. A significant, but not sufficiently studied factor hindering the development of Karlovo and the region during this period were natural disasters, especially water-related ones. This paper will examine the consequences of water-related natural disasters that were a significant barrier to the economic development of Karlovo in the early 20th century. As will be seen, these processes were not isolated only around the Balkan Mountain, but occurred throughout Thrace, north-central and southwestern Bulgaria. In 1905 and 1910, two major water-related natural disasters occurred, causing considerable damage to the population and the underdeveloped economy of the town and the region. The paper traces how and why such devastating consequences occurred, and what measures were taken by local and central government to solve the problem? Were they successful or did vested interests and local power struggles prevailed?

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Индустриалецът Стефан Пипев – променлив успех и трудни решения в кризисно време

Author(s): Svetla Atanasova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The study presents the professional development of Stefan Pipev –a graduate of the Academy of Economics in Wien, a third generation trader, industrialist and a partner in the brewery Prosek Brothers. The accent is put on the period from 1907 until 1927 when Stefan Pipev was managing the brewery on his own and in a partnership the industry established by the Prosek brothers. He succeeds in keeping the relative rise of the production and modernizes it with new technologies. His management coincides with multiple crisis - a fierce competition between the beer brewers, a lot of bankruptcies, raising excised duty, and the economic disruption caused by the Balkan, the Second Balkan War and the World War I. Despite the unfavourable circumstances the Bulgarian entrepreneur succeeds to fight off the competition and keep the trademark Prosek in the top three brewery industries. For the purposes of the research are studied documents from the State Archive –Sofia and State Archive – Veliko Tarnovo. Despite the low number of scientific and popular publications about Stefan Pipev all of them have been used in the study.

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Пропуснатата възможност – заводът за автомобили Булгаррено в Пловдив

Author(s): Vidin Sukarev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2024

The study is based on the archival fund of the Bulgarrenault Automobile Factory in Plovdiv. Its establishment is part of the attempts of the technologically backward socialist countries to meet the growing demand for cars through cooperation with Western manufacturers. In scientific publications to date, little information is given about the factory and its production, which in some cases is inaccurate. In this regard, the chronology of the foundation and construction of the factory, the duration of the construction works, its area and number of personnel have been clarified. Attention is paid why and how the enterprise was opened in Plovdiv as well as a state-owned agricultural holding existed on its place earlier. Another little-known fact is that during the first six months, the assembly of cars was carried out on a temporary assembly line in Hall No. 10 of the International Fair in Plovdiv. Until the factory entered full operation at the end of 1967, cars were assembled using the SKD system, which has so far remained unnoticed. It was claimed that the cars were fitted using the CKD system. However, this happens after the factory is opened. Until then, cars were sent from France in sets of 10 and assembled on the temporary line. When the factory is operational, the sets start at 50 cars each. The demand is high, but the Bulgarian state does not support the production. For the entire period, 6,995 cars were produced. The factory, which costs about three million BGN, works far from its capacity and produces an average of 123 cars per month, which is almost a manufactory. The closing of the factory in 1976 after unsuccessful attempts Bulgarrenault to be replaced with camping trailers and gasoline engines, means a missing of valuable chance for development of a modern Bulgarian automotive industry.

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Aesthetics of Disability: Aesthetic Values in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

Author(s): Divna Vuksanović,Katarina Šmakić / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

This paper deals with the interpretation of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of artistic creation from the standpoint of aesthetic evaluation, emphasizing the distinction between aesthetic and artistic valorisation within contemporary aesthetics research. The paper broadly compares two aesthetic perspectives – traditional and contemporary: the former is value determined through the idea of beauty, while the latter directs its interpretive focus on the body, specifically the disabled body. By recognizing the similarity between the representation of disabled bodies and works of art generated with the help of artificial intelligence, the possibility arises to connect AI creation with the so-called disability aesthetics. In this way, the treatment of the body in modern art serves as a starting point for establishing a new ideology of aesthetic evaluation in era of late capitalism.

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УТИЦАЈ ЕКОНОМСКИХ МИГРАЦИЈА НА САВРЕМЕНУ ГЕОПОЛИТИКУ -ДЕМОГРАФСКА ПЕРСПЕКТИВА

Author(s): Dimitrije Teodosić / Language(s): English Issue: 20/2023

The paper “Theoretical framework of the influence of economic migration on contemporary geopolitics” aims to show the reader the possibilities and ways in which the state can improve its policy regarding economic immigration. Theoretical models such as the “new economy of migration”, dual (segmented) labor market theory, world system theory and the “center-periphery” model are primarily presented and how they are included in both migration and geopolitical research. The given examples can be used to understand the role of economic migration in the formation of the geopolitics of a country. Furthermore, through the contemporary politics and geopolitics of demographic transformation, the conclusion is reached that the future of state management lies in demopolitics. Demopolitics represents a synthesis of geopolitics, migration theories with a focus on the economy of the state. The mechanisms and domain of demopolitics consists in stabilizing and increasing the number of inhabitants, lowering the average age of the population, equalizing population density throughout the country, managing population trends, managing economic growth to ensure social stability. What is also important is that migration is included as an important factor not only in the creation of population policy but also in the creation of development policies. Finally, through a comprehensive analysis, the main direction for improving the policies of developed countries is presented from a demographic and political point of view.

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SOCIOEKONOMSKA STRATIFIKACIJA I URBANO STANOVANJE U POSTSOCIJALISTIČKOM BEOGRADU

Author(s): Nikola Jocić,Aljoša Budović,Ivan Ratkaj / Language(s): English,Serbian Issue: 21/2024

Socialism introduced the ideology of egalitarianism and aimed to create a fairer society, which was spatially embodied in large-scale modernist housing estates. These estates housed populations from various socioeconomic backgrounds, reducing overall segregation. However, in the post-socialist period, growing socioeconomic differentiation has led to market-driven housing projects primarily targeting the upper and middle classes. Despite these market mechanisms, both in the socioeconomic and housing spheres, residential segregation in Belgrade has not yet significantly increased. The “socialist suburb” zone in Belgrade still maintains a socioeconomically mixed population and keeps city-wide segregation lower than market dynamics might suggest. The high rate of homeownership, as a result of privatization, reduces residential mobility and contributes to the stability of the socioeconomic attributes of many parts of the city over time. The decline in socioeconomic status from the city centre to the periphery reflects a consistent pattern not only in the observed period but also throughout a longer historical timeframe. This pattern, established in the late 19th century, has been reinforced by various economic and political mechanisms. Pronounced economic differentiation during the transition period, as well as prior to World War II, coupled with rudimentary social housing and the neglect of the unemployed, created similar effects. Urban areas in the central zone with a predominantly lower socioeconomic status, which existed before the war and persisted through the socialist era, are now being displaced by gentrification processes. The phenomenon of informality in Belgrade was never completely eradicated; instead, it was continuously pushed to the periphery as the city expanded. Established peripheral informality, associated with urban poverty, remains a significant aspect of Belgrade’s residential segregation with strong temporal consistency. However, in the post-socialist period, informal housing has started to extend beyond the periphery and into central areas. The contextual dependence of residential segregation patterns is an ongoing research topic in urban studies, particularly for dynamic urban environments like Belgrade.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention Efforts and Economic Recovery Path of Sub-Saharan Africa

Author(s): Thanh Nga Kieu / Language(s): English Issue: 4/2022

Like other regions in the world, Africa has also suffered a significant impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains, isolated societies, and closed countries, creating unprecedented challenges. Using the qualitative research method, this study will describe, explain and discuss to clarify the research question: What is Africa’s fighting against COVID-19 with focus on Sub-Saharan region? What are the impacts of COVID-19 on the region and its prospects for recovery? The results show that, unlike previous outbreaks, during the COVID-19 pandemic Africa played an important role in gathering scientific knowledge that helped shape the global response. Hundreds of scientists have been working continuously to sequence strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Even in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, African States reacted quickly and coordinatedly, so that the negative health impacts were minimised, beyond all previous forecasts. These experiences will certainly benefit the world – as demonstrated by South African scientists who were the first to discover the Omicron variant in November 2021. However, these efforts can be phased out due to the lack of vaccines, outdated health systems, and the effects of the pandemic on the economy. It can be the most severe barrier in Africa’s recovery path. so that the negative health impacts were minimised

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SECURITY MANAGEMENT IN BULGARIA – A NEW MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICES

Author(s): Dimitar Petkov / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

The rise of transnational organized crime poses a significant threat to national security frameworks worldwide. In Bulgaria, the intersection of these challenges with political instability, economic transformations, and technological advancements necessitates a reevaluation of existing security practices. This study proposes a conceptual framework that integrates international standards and localized adaptations to address these challenges effectively. Utilizing a combination of literature review, qualitative analysis, and case studies, this paper identifies the critical gaps in current security policies and presents evidence-based recommendations. The findings emphasize the importance of innovative technologies, stakeholder collaboration, and comprehensive policy reforms to enhance Bulgaria’s capacity to combat organized crime.

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Проучване ролята на образованието за икономическото развитие на регионите в България

Author(s): Nikolay Stoenchev,Yana Hrischeva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2024

The present research is dedicated to studying the influence of the educational structure of the employed persons on the economic results achieved. Comprehensive and reliable statistics by area have been used. An integral coefficient of structural differences by educational degrees was used, calculated by area, for which, with the help of a linear correlation coefficient, a connection was sought with the created gross added value of one employed person by area. The obtained results show a stimulating effect of high levels of education on the achieved economic results. This beneficial effect of the relative share of employed persons with higher education is particularly strong. It is concluded that the restructuring of economic activities in the territory in favor of knowledge-intensive processes and technologies would have a favorable impact on labor productivity and would contribute to the sustainable development of the territory and to the improvement of the living status of the population.

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Голямата компенсационна сделка от 1934 г. и преодоляването на кризата в българската тютюнева индустрия

Author(s): Marco Dimitrov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2024

The Great Depression (World Economic Crisis 1929 – 1933) did not significantly affect Bulgarian industry. The crisis inflicted the greatest damage on the tobacco industry because it produces tobacco products exclusively for the foreign market. The article examines the way in which the Bulgarian state manages to deal with this crisis. This is mainly due to the measures carried out by the government of the People’s Bloc (1931 – 1934), which were supported and continued by the next cabinet of the Military Union and the “Union” Political Circle. These actions of the two governments, known in the literature as the “Great Compensation Deal”, represent a significant breakthrough in Bulgaria’s foreign trade, which almost froze during the crisis. The article makes a small contribution to the objective and unintended assessment of the so-called “Regime of the Nineteenth Stomach” and its place in Bulgarian economic history in the 1930s.

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Седемнадесетото столетие и бариерите на времето: нахия Кара Лом пред икономическа и демографска криза

Author(s): Nevena Nedelcheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 6/2024

The present research is a kind of attempt to present all those barriers that appeared before the population living in the empire in the 17th century and that could reflect on its economic stability. Based on unpublished Ottoman documents, in combination with other types of data, the study presents indicators of a crisis experienced by the population in the empire during this century. The reasons that give rise to them (political, epidemiological, climatic) are marked, as well as the consequences they bring, brought out through the particular case of a territory limited in its scope (Nahiya Kara Lom). Although they are brought out through the particular case of a small territory of the Ottoman Empire, they are a clear marker of what was happening to the population in the empire in this century and are a starting point for the study of issues such as migration, Islamization and economic life.

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Изкуственият интелект в бизнеса – финансови, икономически и маркетингови аспекти

Author(s): Andrey Zahariev,Dragomir Iliev,Daniela Ilieva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5s/2024

The first quarter of the 21st century marked global engineering progress that surpassed even the wildest predictions of futurist researchers. The modern technological revolution has successfully rediscovered three supporting capital foundations, finding their constant revaluation and development through intellectual capital, industrial capital and financial capital. As a connecting link between them, we can categorically define аrtificial intelligence, with its genetic code – the Machine learning. Estimates for the net effect of the deployment of Artificial intelligence on global GDP are to add a new 15 trillion USD by 2030. This is growth that manifests itself in four directions: improved quality, increased labor productivity, implementation of new customized products and services, and saved time. On this basis, the research debates the effects of the application of artificial intelligence in business in its financial, economic and marketing aspects.

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Research and Application of The PDCA Cycle in Artificial Intelligence Management Systems

Author(s): Tzvetelin Gueorguiev / Language(s): English Issue: 5s/2024

The Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) cycle is the basis of the process approach applied in ISO management system standards. The experience gained in working with management systems and summarized in the author’s monograph have been creatively adapted and applied in the analysis of the requirements of ISO/IEC 42001:2023 – the first standard for artificial intelligence management systems. This paper presents a method for determining the type of each requirement of the ISO/IEC 42001:2023 standard in relation to the PDCA cycle. The application of the PDCA cycle is demonstrated for selected processes and is used for creating process flowcharts. They can be based on the standards with requirements for quality, educational organizations, research and innovation centres, etc. Further on they can serve as the foundations for developing relevant documented procedures that comprise the artificial intelligence management system.

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