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IME analysis shows opportunities for expanding municipalities' financial autonomy. The budget expenditures of municipalities in Bulgaria will reach BGN 14.7 billion in 2024. The significant growth in local spending since the pandemic has been driven almost entirely by transfers from central government. Over the last 10 years, there has been a serious decline in the financial autonomy of municipalities, as measured by the share of own tax and non-tax revenues in total local spending. The share of own revenues of municipalities in Bulgaria has shrunk from over 40% in 2015-2017 to below 25% in 2024.

Gross domestic product, incomes and pensions in Yambol district continue to grow. The share of the working age population in the district is one of the lowest in the country. Investment activity remains weak. Yambol is characterised by a high road density, but the railway network is among the least developed in the country. Average local tax levels are close to average. The self-assessment of administrations in Yambol district on the development of e-government and the provision of one-stop administrative services is increasing. Both natural and mechanical growth in the district are unfavourable. The performance of the district's students is not among the best, but an improvement compared to other districts is reported. The health sector suffers from a low relative number of specialist doctors as well as limited bed capacity in hospitals. The caseload of local judges is significantly lower than the national average, but the administration of justice is relatively slow. The volume of municipal waste generated is low. Tourism is very low.

The gross domestic product, incomes and pensions in Shumen district continue to grow. The increase in the employment rate in the district is significant and for the first time it outpaces the national average. Investment activity remains relatively low. Shumen is the district with the highest share of first-class roads and motorways in the country. Municipalities in Shumen district have relatively low levels of local taxes. The rating for transparency of local government bodies remains significantly higher than average. Natural growth is less favourable than average, but the district is managing to attract population. Student performance continues to be among the weakest in the state. Health care in the district suffers from a shortage of hospital beds, but bed utilisation is the highest in the country. The workload of local judges remains weak, which has a positive impact on the speed of justice. The number of crimes in the district is low and the detection rate is high. The proportion of disturbed territory is limited. Tourism in the district is relatively low.

Over the past three years, the number of judicial recusals in Bulgaria has slightly exceeded 60,000. In 2024 alone, the number surpassed 25,000 – setting a new record. In the first four months of 2025, recusals have already reached 11,325. What do these figures mean? What are the reasons behind the high number of recusals? What are the consequences, and what solutions does the Institute for Market Economics (IME) propose? You can find the answers in the analysis published today: "A Stand for Independence or a Symptom of Vulnerability: Judicial Recusals in Bulgaria in 2024."

Although per capita GDP in the district is growing relatively fast, its value remains low. Employment is falling and unemployment is rising. Investment activity in Haskovo District remains weak. The density of the road network, the share of motorways and first-class roads and the quality of roads are high. Local tax levels in the municipalities of the district are close but below the national average. The rating for active transparency of the administration increased further and remains higher than average. Natural growth in Haskovo District is strongly negative, but mechanical growth is positive. Student performance is low. Health care suffers from a shortage of doctors and hospital beds. Life expectancy is high. The number of crimes in the district is rising but remains lower than the national average and the detection rate is higher. The relative number of municipal waste generated in the district increased significantly but remained below the national average. Cultural life and tourism in the district are relatively weak.

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in the Targovishte region is increasing significantly. Wages and pensions are also continuing to rise. Employment and unemployment are both increasing simultaneously, but both indicators remain significantly less favorable than the national average. The absorption of European funds in the region remains low. The share of motorways and first-class roads is relatively small, but the quality of the road surface is high. Local taxes remain at relatively low levels. The self-assessment of e-government development remains above the national average. The aging of the population is progressing at a faster rate than the national average. Targovishte is among the regions with the lowest coverage of the educational system. The utilization of hospital beds in the region is low. The courts in the region are among the least burdened in the country, which contributes to faster adjudication. The share of forested areas is lower than the national average, but the share of damaged land is also small. Cultural life remains low in intensity, and tourism is not particularly developed.

Incomes in Stara Zagora continue to rise significantly and the standard of living is rising. Employment and unemployment are declining simultaneously, both indicators being more favourable than the national average. Output is high, placing the district in the top three. Unlike most districts with a high degree of economic development, Stara Zagora maintains relatively low local tax rates. The assessment of transparency in the work of local government bodies is relatively low. Natural growth in the district remains below the national average. Student performance is close to average. Access to doctors (both general practitioners and specialists) is relatively good. The pharmacy network is developed. The number of crimes is relatively high and the detection rate is close to average. Stara Zagora's poor environmental score is primarily due to the extremely high proportion of disturbed territory. Cultural life in the district is relatively intense.