Bulgaria reported a lag in state spending as a share of GDP for social protection, education, and healthcare compared to the EU average. This was raised as a concern by MEP from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Kristian Vigenin, on the social network Facebook.
He also emphasized that, by sectors, there is a high share of working poor in our country. The increase is by half compared to 2015 and now reaches nearly 10% of all workers.
“There is a decline in the share of high school graduates and those who completed the lower secondary education stage. Adult participation in education is low. Between 2015 and 2023, the data shows a nearly 30% drop in performance on this indicator,”, Vigenin wrote, adding:
“The demographic situation in Bulgaria remains unfavorable, with a continued decrease and aging of the population. In 2023, the birth rate is at 8.9‰, while the mortality rate is at 15.7‰ – the highest in the EU. These and other alarming data are highlighted in Bulgaria’s report on how it is meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
Vigenin criticized the fact that the BSP is currently engaged in negotiations with right-wing parties in Parliament, where discussions are being held about savings, cuts in expenditures, and conservative policies on incomes, with the expectation of support from the socialists. The MEP is adamant that he cannot imagine such a turn of events.
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