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Today, all major taxes go to the state budget. The tax on the income that everyone earns makes its way to the capital, where the money is left to the will and discretion of politicians in the government, according to their priorities or party needs. It depends on the will of the prime minister and the finance minister how much of these funds go back to the street, the water supply, the kindergarten or the park of the city, in which the taxpayer creates value through labor and entrepreneurship, lives and raises his children.

The share of admissions to secondary education for specialized training has been decreasing in recent years and for 2026/2027 it will reach exactly 40%. The highest admissions to specialized classes are in the capital and Kardzhali region, and the lowest – in Vratsa and Montana1. On the one hand, this exacerbates the problem of mismatch between vocational education and the labor market, and on the other hand – makes the distribution of profiles in specialized education even more important.

In 2025, 159 Bulgarian municipalities (60% of all) implemented exactly 400 projects included in the Investment Program for Municipal Projects. The total amount paid out for them is 220 million euros. What are municipal projects?

Veliko Tarnovo has a positive development trajectory compared to many regions in Northern Bulgaria, although in some indicators it still lags behind the average levels for the country. Incomes are growing, poverty is decreasing, and the labor market remains relatively stable. Against the background of unfavorable demographic trends and aging, Veliko Tarnovo maintains strong positions in education with a high concentration of students and good coverage of children in the education system. The district is also distinguished by good administrative transparency, relatively effective administration of justice and active cultural life, and investor interest continues to grow.

Is it possible for all municipal projects in the state budget – worth a total of over 4 billion euros – to start this year? And for this to happen without weighing on the currently available budget resources? It sounds like some kind of focus, but it is actually completely achievable. There is a financial model that can unlock the launch of all projects at the local level, no matter which mayor is close to which party or what the limit of funds in the state budget for the year is.

Deep regional inequality remains one of the most persistent challenges to Bulgaria's economic development. The data for 2024 clearly show that although the national economy continues to grow and approaches average European levels, this progress is highly unevenly distributed. The leading economic centers - first and foremost the capital - not only maintain their lead, but also increase it compared to less developed regions, especially in Northern Bulgaria.

In 2024, Sofia continues to stand out more and more clearly in its economic development from the other regions, with GDP per capita reaching 35.4 thousand euros. Due to the large share of the capital's economy, only Stara Zagora exceeds the national average level of GDP by 22.4 thousand euros per capita.development.