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Over the past 10 years, Haskovo and Stara Zagora have followed a trajectory of moderate growth, followed by an energy-driven explosion in Stara Zagora after the pandemic. Haskovo, on the other hand, is gradually falling behind national trends, and in 2023 is already the least developed district in the country. Investment has seen gradual growth, doubling in both districts within a decade. Labour market trends are similar, but Stara Zagora comes out on top in both employment and unemployment at the end of the period. Both districts have enjoyed positive migration in recent years, but ageing processes continue.

The Institute for Market Economics held a special presentation for the international community of the latest edition of Regional Profiles: Indicators of Development on March 12 at the International Center of UniCredit Bulbank in Sofia. The event showcased key findings from the publication and offered insights into regional challenges and Bulgaria’s prospects for adopting the euro in 2026.

The gross domestic product per capita is slowing down and lagging behind the average values ​​for the country. Employment is increasing and unemployment is decreasing, but both indicators are relatively unfavorable. The value of manufactured goods and the share of export revenues have shown significant growth. The share of households with Internet access is increasing, but remains relatively low. The average tax rate on non-residential real estate of legal entities is the highest in the country. The coverage of municipal expenses with local revenues is higher than the average. The natural growth rate continues to be strongly negative. The district is also failing to attract population. The representation of students remains weak. Pleven is a district with strong traditions in the field of healthcare and ranks first in this category. The workload of local criminal judges is relatively low, which also affects the speed of justice. Pleven is the district with the lowest share of forest territory, but the share of disturbed territory is also small. Cultural and tourist life are of low intensity.

The problem of limited access to medicines in many settlements across the country is not recent and at this stage is very far from being solved. But are we at least moving in the right direction and is the state taking actions that help overcome it?

Salaries and pensions in Pernik district continue to increase, while the poverty rate remains low. The labor force is represented by a relatively high share of the population with secondary education. Investment activity is weak. Pernik is among the districts with the highest road density. The share of the population living in settlements with public sewerage remains high. The average rates of taxes on vehicles and on retail trade in the district are relatively low. The assessment of transparency in the work of municipalities is lower than the national average.

The gross domestic product, wages and pensions in Pazardzhik district continue to grow, but remain relatively low. Employment and unemployment are increasing simultaneously. Investment and business activity in the district are weak. The density of the road network, as well as the share of motorways and first-class roads, are lower than average, but the quality of the road surface in the district remains relatively high. The average amount of local taxes is low. Transparency in the work of the administration is assessed relatively low.

In connection with the submitted for public discussion Draft Decision on granting a mandate to the National Statistical Institute to conduct negotiations with the statistical office of the European Commission "Eurostat" for a change in the scope of Level 2 regions in the Republic of Bulgaria, the Institute for Market Economics offers a comment on the proposals made for new zoning and its alternative.