Year 2022, Issue 1
Date published30.3.2022
Table of content
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Stoyan Prodanov, Dimitrina Lyubenova Prodanova
BULGARIA’S COVERAGE WITH LOCAL INITIATIVE GROUPS – A SPATIAL ANALYSISKeywords: common agricultural policy, LEADER approach, rural regions, local initiative groups, endogenous theory of economic developmentSummary: This research focuses on the innovative LEADER approach within the Common agricultural policy of the EU which is widely used for the decentralized and at the same time integrated development of rural regions in each member state.... This research focuses on the innovative LEADER approach within the Common agricultural policy of the EU which is widely used for the decentralized and at the same time integrated development of rural regions in each member state. Theoretically, the LEADER approach is part of the endogenous theory of economic development and plays an important role in achieving the social, economic and now climatic aims as a specific European model of stimulating the inclusion of communities in local development. From a spatial point of view, the LEADER approach has been applied at the level of municipality or unified neighboring municipalities and/or neighboring settlements-part of a municipality/ies with a population between 10,000 and 150,000 inhabitants by local initiative groups (LIG). Bulgaria’s Program for the development of rural regions 2014–2020 adopts the national definition according to which rural regions are defined at the municipal level (LAU 1) and comprise the territory of 231 municipalities in which the largest town has a population of 30,000 inhabitants. The analysis of the spatial coverage of rural regions with LIG shows the negative effect of the admission of typically urban municipalities within the territories which receive funding through the LEADER network. To eliminate those inaccuracies in determining the policies for the development of rural regions, we propose and test variants to change this arguable, too streamlined and non-corresponding to scientific thought definition of a rural region. -
Reneta Dimitrova
THE FINANCIAL LITERACY OF CLIENTS – AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR BANKS’ SUCCESSFUL DIGITALIZATIONSummary: The digitalization of banking operations and the opportunities it provides the clients with has been an important aspect of banking for decades. Banks are among the financial institutions that work actively so that they do not lag... The digitalization of banking operations and the opportunities it provides the clients with has been an important aspect of banking for decades. Banks are among the financial institutions that work actively so that they do not lag behind the global e-business which is moving forward. Successful banking digitalization depends on numerous factors whereas one of them is clients’ financial literacy which significantly predefines how the process of banks’ digital transformation would continue. The research is aimed at outlining banking digitalization’s dependency on the literacy level of clients and the policies to be implemented so that it is successful. -
Lachezar Borisov
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOOD PRODUCTION PRICES AND INFLATION IN BULGARIAKeywords: producer price index for food products, consumer price index for food products, inflation, forecastingSummary: The study aims to find relationships between the total producer price index for food products and the harmonized consumer price index for food products in Bulgaria. The analysis of the relationships aims to reveal the impact of... The study aims to find relationships between the total producer price index for food products and the harmonized consumer price index for food products in Bulgaria. The analysis of the relationships aims to reveal the impact of producer prices on the final consumer price of food products, as well as the period in which the strongest relationships are present. The sharp rise in food prices in Bulgaria, the macroeconomic forecasts for the continuation of this trend and their impact on the welfare of citizens make it necessary to analyse various interrelationships that serve the study and forecasting of certain processes in the country. The study concludes that there is a causal relationship between the total producer price index for food products and the harmonized consumer price index for food products in Bulgaria. In contrast to the general case where inflationary processes are transmitted from producer prices to consumer prices with a lag of 5 months, in the case of food products this happens within the same month. -
Rositsa Prodanova, Dimitar Kostov
ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION – CONCORDANCE OR DISCORDANCE?Summary: The series of severe global and regional crises of various nature in recent decades, as well as the erratic success of the various anti-crisis measures undertaken by the European Union raise the issue of examining the concordance... The series of severe global and regional crises of various nature in recent decades, as well as the erratic success of the various anti-crisis measures undertaken by the European Union raise the issue of examining the concordance among the Union's economic policies. This study examines the coordination between EU’s monetary and fiscal policy to reveal that it is weak, which can be attributed to some crisis resolution shortcomings. The reasons for this incoherence can be found both in the institutional structure of the European financial institutions and in some rigid strategies of the Union (unwillingness to pursue a common fiscal policy, frugal budget spending policies, etc.) -
Raya Biserova Dragoeva
ECONOMIC GROWTH EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATIONSummary: Education is a key area of public life and its function is to provide highly qualified human capital. The development of the field of education is directly dependent on the funds allocated for training, research and innovation. The... Education is a key area of public life and its function is to provide highly qualified human capital. The development of the field of education is directly dependent on the funds allocated for training, research and innovation. The spread of the COVID-19 epidemic crated many social and economic problems that national governments are expected resolve quickly and effectively by finding rational solutions. Education is one of the areas of strategic importance for overcoming the consequences of the pandemic. It is an important part of the public sector in which education, training and acquisition of knowledge and skills take place.