14.04.2021
A DRAFT NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE PROMOTION OF EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN FOR THE PERIOD 2021-2022 HAS BEEN PUBLISHED
The Project envisages stimulating the non-governmental sector to create conditions for social inclusion of people with disabilities, according to Art. 10, para. 3, item 8 of the Law on People with Disabilities, with expected results:
Full participation of over 3600 people with disabilities in society through their participation in events organized by NGOs;
Social services provided in the community by NGOs.
The measures regulated by the Project, for which NGOs are among the responsible institutions, are also:
Providing support and protection to victims of trafficking in human beings, in accordance with the implementation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the National Mechanism for Guidance and Support of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings;
Conducting activities for the prevention of human trafficking, including national campaigns, incl. with a focus on trafficking pregnant women in order to sell their newborn.
Prevention activities with a focus on specific vulnerable groups;
Development of the volunteer network at the Local Commissions for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and implementation of prevention activities among students and youth;
Conducting events to upgrade the capacity of specialists working in the field of combating trafficking in human beings and protection of victims.
>> For more information visit the Public Consultation Portal.
14.04.2021
INTEREST-FREE LOANS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED
2014 loans totaling almost BGN 10 million are the approved interest-free loans for individuals, which will be granted after the restart of the anti-crisis program of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) was announced two weeks ago. In March, by a decision of the Council of Ministers, the program was increased by BGN 100 million to continue supporting the injured employees and self-insured persons who cannot work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus, since the beginning of the measure until now, the number of approved interest-free loans is already over 39,790, and their total value is almost BGN 178 million. , are First Investment Bank, Investbank, UniCredit Bulbank, United Bulgarian Bank and Raiffeisenbank. The Central Cooperative Bank is expected to resume accepting documents within days.
1,414 is the number of confirmed for guarantee loans under the anti-crisis program in support of business, as their total value exceeds BGN 205 million. Thus, in total, under the two measures - for individuals and companies, BDB has confirmed loans worth over BGN 383 million. leva.
BDB guarantees loans of up to BGN 1 million for small and medium enterprises and up to BGN 2 million for large companies that suffer negative consequences from the pandemic. The loans are granted by 9 partner banks: Allianz Bank, DSK Bank, Bulgarian-American Credit Bank, Investbank, First Investment Bank, Postbank, D Commercial Bank, UniCredit Bulbank and UBB.
Loans guaranteed by BDB are granted with reduced collateral requirements, with a lower interest rate and with the possibility of a grace period of up to 3 years.
The average amount of loans so far is BGN 145,200. The largest is the share of micro and small enterprises - 76%, second are medium-sized enterprises with 21%, and the smallest is the share of large companies - 3 percent.
The application deadlines for both guarantee programs have been extended until June 2021.
14.04.2021
GROWTH OF IMPORTS SINCE A YEAR
In February 2021, for the first time in a year, there was an increase in imports to Bulgaria. It increased by 2.6% compared to a year ago and amounted to BGN 5.4 billion. Imports, the increase of which indirectly indicates a certain recovery in consumption in the country, fell throughout the last year, with the largest decline - nearly 30%, it was in April and May. However, the current growth also speaks of economic recovery, as among the goods that marked the largest growth in imports - from 741 last February to BGN 801 million now, are machinery and equipment.
Bulgaria's exports to China increased by 19.5% in the first two months of 2021 and reached BGN 310 million, according to NSI data. In February, foreign trade revived slightly, with exports growing by 2.8%. But due to the decline in foreign trade in January, total for the first two months of the year exports fell by 1.7%. With regard to the main groups of goods, in the first two months of the year there is a 20% increase in exports to non-EU countries of unprocessed materials, unfit for consumption, to nearly BGN 350 million.
13.04.2021
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROJECTS FOR THE ENDEAVOR DARE TO SCALE 2021 PROGRAM HAS STARTED
The acceptance of projects for Dare to Scale has started - a four-month growth program aimed at entrepreneurs and businesses that have already passed the early phase of their development and are expanding their activities. The program is organized by the Bulgarian office of the global entrepreneurial network Endeavor with main partner Postbank and the support of Software Group and the Executive Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises (EASME), the financial institution announced.
Postbank reminds that the editions of Dare to Scale in 2019 and 2020 grabbed the award for "Best Accelerator Program" at the Central European startup awards CESA for Bulgaria.
Entrepreneurs from all spheres of the economy and from all regions in Bulgaria can apply for Dare to Scale. The condition is to have a proven product or service on the market, to have a turnover of at least BGN 200,000 for 2020, the number of employees not to exceed 150 people and most importantly - their business to have the potential for global growth .
Both well-established companies that have been operating for years and those that have started relatively recently can participate in the program. The application takes place on this link until April 30, 2021. The applicant companies will go through a selection process in which mentors and business leaders from the Endeavor network will select the final participants.
The duration of Dare to Scale is four months - from September to December 2021. Like the previous edition, the organizers anticipate that this year the program will be hybrid - physical events in Sofia and virtual ones when needed.
The founders of the companies will have the opportunity to participate in specialized trainings in four main areas: organization management, marketing, sales, business planning and capital raising. Each company will have an individual mentor from the Endeavor network, who will hold regular meetings with the founders and will support them with their expertise.
Participants will be able to participate in physical and virtual events, during which they can exchange experiences and get acquainted with the basic players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The program will end with the final Demo Day event, during which participants will present their businesses to a jury of established business leaders. Detailed information about the program is available here.
Last year's edition of Dare to Scale was attended by 12 companies that underwent training, mentoring sessions led by entrepreneurs and experts such as the founders of Telerik - Vasil Terziev and Svetozar Georgiev, the founder of Telelink - Lyubomir Minchev, and Uber site manager - Alexander Popov.
At Demo Day last year, RPA was rewarded for its participation with an investment of 200,000 euros from the partner organization F27. Continuing its participation in Dare to Scale, the company Out2Bound acquires a new client, with whom they start work on a large-scale project, as well as establishes key contacts in Romania for the forthcoming opening of an office in the neighboring country. Since the beginning of the program in 2019, the companies have received a total of over 150 mentoring hours.
"What makes Dare to Scale unique is the very clear focus that the program has on the practical challenges that companies face in the initial phase of their growth. The program links these challenges to the experience and expertise of Endeavor mentors, who have already followed a similar path and can help with specific advice, commented Momchil Vassilev, CEO of Endeavor Bulgaria. - Over the years, Dare to Scale has established itself as an important element of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country, as in the previous edition we supported companies that generated BGN 72 million in revenue. During their participation in the program, they managed to attract additional investments, enter new markets and develop new areas of activity."
Petya Dimitrova, CEO of Postbank, pointed out that after two extremely successful years, the Dare to Scale program has established itself as a sustainable model of development that unmistakably recognizes and promotes projects that bring real value to the entrepreneurial environment in our country.
"It is extremely important for us to be part of this process, to support the ambitions of companies that are looking for scale for their business and thus change the whole ecosystem. I am convinced that this is the attitude that is moving us forward. The time we live in provides us with plenty of challenges, but they will measure our resilience and our ability to learn and grow, said Petya Dimitrova. - For the third year in a row, we at Postbank will share with entrepreneurs our high expertise and experience to support them in the most important stage of their business development and to become part of their growth. We will look for the potential of successful partnerships that allow us to innovate and improve the capabilities of the ecosystem. For us, this is an investment in the future and a chance to be part of the change that is moving us forward."
Kalin Radev, founder and CEO of Software Group, reminded that Software Group is a partner of Dare to Scale for the second year in a row. "In last year's edition, we had the pleasure of meeting entrepreneurs from different business sectors and supporting their ambitions and dreams of success and growth, as well as witnessing the impressive results that the accelerator program has helped them achieve. I expect even greater interest and presence this year and I wish success to all participants," he said.
According to Boyko Takov, Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, the agency again participates in one of the most successful entrepreneurial programs in our country. He is convinced that great companies operate in Bulgaria, which with the right guidance and mentoring can develop their business to the highest world standards and be successfully realized in foreign markets.
"I welcome the business to apply for the third edition of the Dare to Scale, because it will get the truly valuable knowledge it needs - on the one hand, to expand its business, and on the other - to get through the complicated economic situation of the last year with the support of experts, representatives of the most developed spheres of the economy ", noted Boyko Takov.
Endeavor is an international non-governmental organization with offices in 40 locations, helping entrepreneurs with big ideas and businesses to grow rapidly internationally.
Entrepreneurs, part of Endeavor, have the potential to change their countries and the world - they can be a key factor in long-term economic growth, job creation and innovation. Endeavor provides selected entrepreneurs with access to markets, capital and talent in its network of over 4,000 mentors and investors worldwide. In Bulgaria, Endeavor started operations in July 2015 in order to expand the organization's presence in Europe. To date, the Bulgarian office has supported over 70 entrepreneurs from more than 40 companies, which have created over 1,700 jobs and generated revenues of BGN 320 million for 2020.
13.04.2021
THE MEASURE 60/40 EXPIRES
Employers who meet the conditions and who wish to receive funds under the government measure to maintain employment "60/40" for the period January-March 2021, can submit an application and the required documents until 17.00 on April 15, 2021 reminded by the Employment Agency (EA).
After the government felt that the crisis situation in the country had not yet been resolved, it decided to extend the scheme until May 31, with the EA explaining that the application deadlines are fully in line with the government's order.
The employers already approved in the first quarter of this year under the measure are reminded by the agency that the payment is made on the basis of a current list of employees for the previous month and a letter-declaration for monthly reporting.
The deadline for submitting these documents is April 22, 2021, according to the procedure approved by the Executive Director of the Employment Agency.
The Employment Agency draws attention to the fact that employers must comply with the set deadlines for application (April 15, 2021) and for monthly reporting (April 22, 2021), as the documents submitted after these dates are not subject to verification and evaluation by the commissions. in employment offices.
The documents can be submitted electronically through the Secure Electronic Service System (SES), signed with a qualified electronic signature (QES) or through a licensed postal operator, and if it is impossible to use these two methods - by visiting the labor office.
Regardless of the method of sending, the documents are submitted to the Directorate "Labor Office", serving the territory of the place of work of employees or in the labor office, where the employer is approved.
12.04.2021
BUSINESS INVESTMENTS - FOR DIGITALIZATION
Every second company plans to invest in digitalization in the next 3 years. This is what the data from the survey of PwC among business leaders in Bulgaria say. 51% of them point to the digital transformation as the main one for their investment plans. 29% intend to invest money in cybersecurity for their companies, and hacker attacks are cited by 47% of managers as a threat to economic growth. Most bosses are worried about health crises (58%), and in second place (51%) are concerns about the lack of key skills of the necessary staff.
For the first time, the main threats to economic growth include the spread of misinformation (32%). The investment plans of the Bulgarian managers are in line with those of the world business leaders, but with one exception. Due to climate change concerns, only 44% of Bulgaria's executive directors plan to invest more in resilience and resilience initiatives. Globally, 60% of business leaders plan to do this. 40% of Bulgarian businesses plan to hire staff in the next 12 months, and 59% will do so in the next 3 years. Almost half (46%) of the Bulgarian participants in the survey share that in 2020 they have preserved the number of employees in their organizations. Nearly one quarter (24%) was reduced, which is the lowest result compared to the indicators in the other countries. But it is close to the forecasts from last year, when 29% of the management expected us to make cuts. At the global level, such intent was declared by only 22% of executive directors, while in reality 37% of them reduced the working year 2020.
Аttitudes and risks
Bulgarian managers are cautiously optimistic about economic growth in 2021, in which the pandemic continues to dictate economic trends. 58% of the respondents in our country predict that the global economic growth will improve in the next 12 months, while globally the optimism is higher and is shared by 76%. 68% of Bulgarian business leaders expect a path to the profits of their companies, but only 45% predict a path to profitability. On a global scale, the respective results are about 74% and 65%.
How will the patch run
Bulgarian business leaders determine the top 3 of the most important plans for promoting our care. According to 76%, this will be done by seeking operational efficiency. 65% rely on limited coverage, and 51% - on the purchase of a new product or service on the market. The plans of the business leaders in our country for cooperation with startups have increased by 21% this year against 16% in 2020. As for the economic measures for recovery from COVID-19 and for ensuring sustainable growth, the Bulgarian business leaders are the most skeptical about how the government will balance short-term economic needs with long-term environmental policies. 59% of respondents believe that a balance is unlikely, compared to 35% worldwide.
12.04.2021
BGN 6.7 BILLION ARE BEING INVESTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONS BY 2027
The draft budget of the Regional Development Program 2021-2027 is close to BGN 6.7 billion. It will be managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and will have three main priority axes. It is planned to support measures in 50 urban municipalities.
The first priority axis for integrated urban development has a draft budget of BGN 1.131 billion.
It provides support for the ten largest urban municipalities, as centers of growth. In order to achieve better results, the municipalities were grouped by regions for planning. And each cluster will have a total budget. The aim is thus to strengthen the region as a whole by promoting cooperation between stakeholders.
The second priority of the program is integrated territorial development of the planning regions of level 2. The budget is a little over BGN 2.5 billion. 40 urban municipalities will have access to it.
Both axes will fund infrastructure projects in the fields of health, education, social activities, culture, sports, tourism and cultural heritage, housing, energy efficiency and renovation of residential and public buildings, improving urban mobility, repairing road infrastructure and safety and development of functional connections. Measures for green urban infrastructure and security in public spaces, promotion of economic activity, etc. will also be supported.
The third priority of the program is "Fair Energy Transition".
It is programmed under the Fair Transition Fund, provided that the territorial plans developed for its implementation are approved as part of the RDP 2021 2027. The draft budget of the priority is BGN 3.1 billion. The main goal is to provide support for the regions and sectors most affected by the transition to climate neutrality. Currently, the measure is aimed at the districts of Stara Zagora, Kyustendil and Pernik, but negotiations are underway to include more districts. The priority axis will fund a wide range of activities.
For the first time in Bulgaria, the RDP 2021-2027 will be implemented through the implementation of instruments for integrated territorial development, specified by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. The program is designed to achieve balanced territorial development between the regions, depopulation of territories in the country and others.
12.04.2021
THE HIGHER SCHOOL OF INSURANCE AND FINANCE OPENS "ACADEMY FOR ENTREPRENEURS"
The Higher School of Insurance and Finance (VUZF) is launching a new project that will support and encourage young people who want to start their own business - "Academy for Entrepreneurs". The academy is completely free and anyone who can join it has a desire to develop his entrepreneurial potential.
During it, participants will undergo comprehensive training that will help them build their business. It will go through different modules, each of which will address the specific steps of creating and developing a startup, such as strategy building, brand development, creating an organizational culture, proper communication in the structure, attracting funding sources and potential investors, as well as the various opportunities for digital business development, marketing, sales, etc.
"Academy for Entrepreneurs" starts on April 28 and will be held online. Participants will meet with professors at VUZF and successful Bulgarian entrepreneurs who will be their mentors in the process of building their own business venture. Young entrepreneurs will work on specific ideas, which with the help of mentors, at the end of the academy should become a comprehensive concept for a viable business project.
At the end of the project, they will have to present their projects to an expert jury, which will evaluate their final projects. The winners will receive scholarships to study in the bachelor's and master's programs in entrepreneurship at VUZF.
The academy will last until the beginning of June, and once a week a specific thematic module will be held with many practical examples and assignments, on which future entrepreneurs will work.
Anyone wishing to join can do so free of charge by submitting their application by April 26, 2021. More information about the "Academy for Entrepreneurs" as well as enrollment can be found on the VUZF website.
09.04.2021
How women receive a higher pension
Women in Bulgaria will stay longer in the labor market and thus receive higher pensions. This is provided by the National Action Plan for the Promotion of Equality between Women and Men, developed to implement the National Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality for 2021-2030 and uploaded for public discussion.
It states that the longer participation of women in insurance is a measure that will reduce the difference in the size of pensions between the sexes.
The increase in the retirement age is reflected in the longer stay on the labor market and, accordingly, the longer participation in insurance, which is important for the amount of the received pension.
The required length of service for acquiring the right to a pension for both sexes continues to increase by 2 months each year, reaching 36 years and 2 months for women and 39 years and 2 months for men in 2022. Every year the age for pension for both sexes until equal in 2037.
The plan aims to implement a unified policy on equality between women and men through the included measures of various institutions and organizations.
They are structured in five priority areas:
Another measure mentioned in the Plan is the adopted amendments to the Social Security Code. According to them, when determining the amount of pension reduction by the National Social Security Institute, the transfer from the state budget in the amount of 12 percent on the sum of the insurance incomes of all insured persons for the period from 2009 to 2015 inclusive will be taken into account and the years of service with and without insurance in a private pension fund will be reported.
This will guarantee a higher amount of newly granted pensions for seniority and age of women born after December 31, 1959, the document reads.
09.04.2021
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS UNDER MEASURE 60/40 EXPIRES ON 15 APRIL
The Employment Agency reminds employers who meet the conditions for receiving state aid that if they wish to receive funds for the period January - March 2021, they can submit an application and the required documents until 17.00 on April 15, 2021.
The specified term for acceptance of application documents is regulated in CMD № 93/ 18.03.2021, which extends the period for providing financial support under the measure until May 31, 2021.
To the employers already approved for the first quarter of this year under measure 60/40, the Agency reminds that the payment is made on the basis of a current list of employees for the previous month and a Letter - declaration for monthly reporting.
The deadline for submission of these documents is April 22, 2021, according to the Procedure approved by the Executive Director of the Employment Agency.
The Employment Agency draws attention to the fact that employers must comply with the set deadlines for application (April 15, 2021) and for monthly reporting (April 22, 2021), as the documents submitted after these dates are not subject to verification and evaluation by the commissions. in employment offices.
The documents can be submitted electronically through the Secure Electronic Service System (SES), signed with a qualified electronic signature (QES) or through a licensed postal operator, and if it is impossible to use these two methods - by visiting the labor office.
Regardless of the method of sending, the documents are submitted to the Directorate "Labor Office", serving the territory of the place of work of employees or in the labor office, where the employer is approved.
The updated with Order № RD-11-00-674 Procedure for application of employers under the Council of Ministers 151/2020 and other detailed information for application and monthly reporting of employers is published on the website of the Employment Agency, in the section "Financial incentives for maintaining employment”/CMD № 151/2020 amended with CMD № 416/2020.
