04.02.2021
Your Choice Matters Initiative
The Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and the Bulgarian National Television join forces in the initiative "Your choice matters".
The purpose of the information initiative is to help overcome the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular - the decline in exports of goods produced in Bulgaria in the past 2020.
"Your choice matters" bases its message on data that show the possibilities for compensating for the decline in exports in 8 categories through joint actions of Bulgarian consumers, based on their choice of domestic products.
03.02.2021
Communication from the Agency for People with Disabilities
In connection with the competitions announced by the Agency for People with Disabilities for financing projects for employment, rehabilitation and integration and building an accessible environment for people with disabilities, the Agency will hold an ONLINE INFORMATION DAY "OPEN DAY" for each of the programs. Participants will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the programs, as well as to ask their questions related to the conditions of application, allocation of funds, monitoring and reporting of project proposals. The information sessions will be held as follows:
Each of the information events includes:
If you wish to participate, you can state your intention at the following e-mail addresses of the Agency, taking into account the above-mentioned deadlines of each of the programs:
Affordable Architectural Environment Program: ahu_dostap@mlsp.government.bg
Rehabilitation and Integration Program: ahu_npo@mlsp.government.bg
Independent Economic Activity Program: ahu_ssd@mlsp.government.bg
Program "Social and economic orientation of specialized enterprises and cooperatives": ahu_stn@mlsp.government.bg and ahu_sn@mlsp.government.bg
Protected Employment Centers Program: ahu@mlsp.government.bg
Those who are interested will be additionally sent an email with a link to join the event "Open Day".
To participate in the event you need to use a computer with a camera or smartphone and download the program "Zoom" in advance.
03.02.2021
The Agency for People with Disabilities announces a competition UNDER A NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, according to Art. 44, para. 1 of the Law on People with Disabilities
This program aims to encourage and assist employers from a normal working environment to create employment conditions for people with permanent disabilities, including the fulfillment of quota obligations; it is aimed at people with permanent disabilities, as employment in a normal work environment leads to the fastest socialization of people with permanent disabilities.
This program provides funding for the following areas of action, tentatively called components:
The maximum amount of subsidy by component is as follows:
Component 1 - up to BGN 10,000;
Component 2 - up to BGN 10,000;
Component 3 - up to BGN 10,000;
Component 4 - up to BGN 1,000 per person with permanent disability.
More detailed information can be found in the Methodology for financing project proposals of employers/appointing bodies under the National Employment Program for People with Disabilities, published on the website of the Agency for People with Disabilities under the heading: Projects/ programs, NEP under Art. 44, para. 1 of the Law on People with Disabilities.
The tender documentation is published on the Agency's website under the heading "Projects/programs" - NEP under Art. 44, para. 1 of the Law on People with Disabilities.
The project proposals, together with the required documents, are submitted in a folder arranged systematically, in the order described in the table for assessment of administrative compliance / Annex 3 /, and with a cover letter in the office of the Agency for People with Disabilities in one of the following ways:
Immediately after the submission of the project proposal, each applicant is obliged to request from the Agency for People with Disabilities an incoming number with which the project proposal is entered in the record keeping system, no later than the deadline for submission of project proposals. The received incoming number proves that the project proposal has been submitted in time.
Contact telephones: 02 931 8095 and 02 832 9073.
03.02.2021
The online course "Economics, Social Policy and Management" starts on February 8
The online course "Economics, Social Policy and Management" starts on February 8. The training is aimed at employees and is free of charge for them.
All CITUB distance learning courses are conducted online only. Each participant will have access to the course within 2 weeks, during which time the platform will be available 24 hours a day. Each participant will log in with an individual access password issued by an administrator. The only condition is that you have access to the Internet and use a computer or mobile device.
The course is funded by the project "Improving the adaptability of employees and strengthening collective bargaining, through joint actions of the social partners at national, sectoral and industry level" under OP "Human Resources Development".
The course ends with a test to check the knowledge and if the result is over 50% it is considered successfully completed and a certificate is issued.
You can apply at the following link: http://ktd.dostoentrud.org/
After filling in the data in the participation card, you will receive a personal username and password for access to the CITUB training platform.
More about the course:
The module provides knowledge about the practical and applied problems of economics, social policy and management - the three key and interrelated areas in which the economic and social rights and interests of employees and their employers are realized. The trainees will acquire knowledge and understanding of:
WHEN CAN THEY DISMISS US WITH NOTICE?
The Supreme Court of Cassation adopted an interpretative decision on issues related to the termination of the employment contract by the employer.
In it, the supreme judges interpret three of the hypotheses in Art. 328 of the Labor Code, in which the employer may dismiss his employee with notice - in the absence of qualities for effective work (item 5), when he does not have the necessary education or qualification (item 6) and in case of change of the requirements for the position (item 11).
According to him:
1a. There is no ground under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the Labor Code for termination of the employment contract, if at its conclusion the employee does not meet the requirements for education or professional qualification introduced by the employer for the performed work.
1b. There is a ground for termination of the employment contract under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the Labor Code, when at its conclusion the employee does not meet the requirements for education or professional qualification for the performed work introduced by a normative act.
The interpretative case was instituted due to the existence of contradictory case law in the application of the above provisions of the Labor Code by various panels of the Supreme Court of Cassation.
The reasoning of the interpretative decision states that the conclusion of an employment contract in the initial absence of the employer's requirements for a certain position is not an obstacle to the existence of the contract itself, but the employer's assessment that a candidate can perform the assigned work in the interest of the company it may be justified by the professional experience of the employee in the same or a similar position or by the absence of another candidate for the vacant post.
According to the Supreme Judges, if the employer has agreed that the education and/or qualification held by the employee does not constitute an objective reason for the performance of the employment function at the conclusion of the employment contract, but has subsequently terminated the employment due to lack of employment, the employer will in fact refer to the employment requirements imposed by him, which he himself considered to have not been an obstacle to the performance of the employment contract.
The reference by the employer in these cases to the grounds for termination of the individual employment contract under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the Labor Code for lack of the required education and/or professional qualification will contradict the general principle established in Art. 57, para. 2 of the Constitution, "no abuse of rights and their exercise shall be allowed if it infringes the rights and legitimate interests of others", therefore it should be denied.
When concluding an employment contract with an employer who has agreed that the education or professional qualification possessed by the employee is sufficient for the performed work, but it is established that the requirements for holding the respective position are normatively established, which makes it impossible to maintain the employment relationship, the employer may request that the contract be declared invalid with a claim under Art. 74 of the LC.
According to the Supreme Judges, until the invalidity of the employment contract is declared by an effective court decision, there will be a valid legal relationship that can be terminated by the employer on any of the exhaustive grounds for its termination, including the grounds under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the LC.
The interpretative decision states that the significant difference in the grounds for dismissal under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 and item 11 of the Labor Code shall be manifested with regard to the legal consequences upon termination of the employment contract. Only in the hypothesis of Art. 328, para. 1, item 11 of the Labor Code, the employer must observe the provision of Art. 333, para. 1 of the Labor Code, which establishes preliminary protection in the case of dismissal of certain categories of workers and employees.
Therefore, when the employee falls within the scope of the cases in which the termination of the employment contract by the employer is possible only after prior permission by the Labor Inspectorate, it is necessary to distinguish the hypotheses of Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 and item 11 of the LC, shall be stated in the reasons.
With a legislative change from 1992, a new ground for termination of the employment contract is accepted by the employer with a notice - under Art. 328, para. 1, item 11 of the Labor Code, which does not duplicate the dismissal grounds existing under 1986 under Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the Labor Code, and introduces an entirely new, different ground for termination of the employment contract, in case of change of the requirements for the performed work, out of those for education or professional qualification.
The provision of Art. 328, para. 1, item 11 of the Labor Code means a change of any other requirements, but not of those for education and professional qualification, as in respect of them there is the norm of art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the LC. "Therefore, in the hypothesis of Art. 328, para. 1, item 6 of the Labor Code, the change refers specifically to the requirements for education and professional qualification, and in the other hypothesis under item 11 - any other professional requirements - work experience, additional new knowledge and skills, but without changing the requirements for education and professional qualification, ie all other requirements necessary for the performance of the job function”, reads the interpretative decision.
According to the Supreme Judges, the need for the employer to indicate the factual grounds for termination of the employment contract due to lack of qualities is derived from the rules for individualization of the will, taking into account the importance of the principles of protection of labor rights and legality of dismissal. In this case, the essential content of the statement of intent to terminate the employment contract by the employer is the grounds for termination.
By indicating it, the necessary individualization is achieved. The grounds for termination of the employment contract under Art. 328, para. 1, item 5 of the Labor Code is formulated as a general evaluative and indefinite concept - "lack of qualities to perform the work."
Its content includes the signs: permanent non-fulfillment of a work obligation in qualitative, quantitative or temporal terms, caused by lack of knowledge, skills or habits. Insofar as each individual type of non-performance, as well as each individual lack of knowledge, skills or habits could become a reason for termination of the employment contract, in order to individualize his statement of will upon termination of the contract under Art. 328, para. 1, item 5 of the Labor Code, the employer should indicate the factual reason for its termination.
For individualization of the declaration of will it is sufficient in the written order for termination under Art. 328, para. 1, item 5 of the Labor Code to list which knowledge, skills or habits are missing or to indicate what the permanent inefficient performance of the work consists of. In both alternatives, the purpose of the law is achieved and the employee can exercise his/her right to defense.
03.02.2021
Plan for implementation of final recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities approved
The Government has adopted an Action Plan for the implementation of the final recommendations to the Republic of Bulgaria, addressed by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2021-2026), the press service of the Cabinet announced.
The main purpose of the document is to contribute to the development and improvement of policies aimed at people with disabilities, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international instruments aimed at guaranteeing human rights and under which Bulgaria is country.
The Plan outlines measures and activities through which the implementation of some of the recommendations has been achieved so far, as well as those aimed at improving the legislation to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities. The document also includes activities to overcome stereotypes and discriminatory practices and to expand opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in the labor market, as well as measures to encourage their active participation in political and public life. Measures to implement UN recommendations also include training to increase the capacity of magistrates, investigative police officers, educators and social workers; activities to promote the participation of women and girls with disabilities in various spheres of public life.
The implementation of the Action Plan aims to support the implementation of the commitments of the Republic of Bulgaria under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, contributing to better protection and ensuring opportunities for their active inclusion in public life.
03.02.2021
The support for the affected business amounts to BGN 2 billion
The Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov told journalists that according to the Ministries of Economy and Social Affairs, the intervention in support of business due to the coronary crisis is worth about BGN 1.6 billion.
Another BGN 400 million are underway - agreed, promised, it is a matter of work, added the Minister, who presented to the members of the relevant parliamentary committee the implementation of programs to support Bulgarian business to overcome the economic consequences of the pandemic.
The total intervention of the two ministries, not to mention the work done through the central budget, is BGN 2 billion, the minister specified.
He announced that under one of the procedures the business is expected to present its reports and receive the funds, under another procedure contracts have been signed, but it is an investment and under it the companies must present completed investment activity and will receive the funds immediately. The NRA is working quickly, now funds are being paid according to the reserve list of micro-enterprises, the minister added.
In the last ten days alone, what has reached the business is BGN 60 million, the minister said.
He reminded that last year for all anti-epidemic and anti-crisis measures the funds through the central budget were worth BGN 2.8 billion, and this year - about BGN 3 billion. According to him, the measures have had an effect because they maintain some of the lowest unemployment rates in the EU and now, according to the Employment Agency, it is 7 percent, and in Spain - over 16 percent, with 40 percent youth unemployment.
In addition, our country ends 2020 with very good financial and macroeconomic indicators, the Minister added, recalling that our country had the most liberal anti-epidemic measures in Europe, which was also in support of business. We are ending the year, perhaps among the few EU countries that have maintained their consumption as a factor of economic growth, the minister said.
In response to a question, the Minister said that the payment through the National Revenue Agency is going to the businesses that are closed due to the anti-epidemic measures, and added that according to the Minister of Social Affairs everything for the missed months has already been paid under the measure "BGN 24".
The minister said that at the end of last week he had a meeting with the representatives of the restaurant industry. We agreed that if the measures continue in terms of their anti-epidemic part, we will continue the economic measures, said the Minister and added that as Minister of Economy he believes that the faster the business starts, the better, but there should be and balance with human health.
The Minister informed that he had forwarded to the Minister of Health the letter with the requests of the Inter Expo Center for clarity about the work of this branch in the spring.
In response to a question, the Minister said that a meeting with employers' organizations is expected tomorrow, most likely online, and among the topics discussed will be the measures that will be applied to business with funds from the EC Initiative - REACT-EU.
WHEN CAN WE CONCLUDE A SECOND EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT?
In the Labor Code (LC), in Art. 110 and Art. 111 are settled opportunities for additional employment contract with the same or another/second employer. According to the first provision, the employee may conclude an employment contract with the employer with whom he works to perform work that is not within the scope of his work obligations, outside the working hours established for him.
As for the additional work with another employer, the Labor Code stipulates that the employee may enter into employment contracts with other employers to perform work outside the working hours established for him under the main employment relationship (external part-time), unless is agreed otherwise in his individual employment contract under his main employment relationship.
It should be borne in mind that there are restrictions related to the duration of working hours, which are introduced by Art. 113 of the LC. The maximum duration of working hours under an employment contract for additional work together with the duration of working hours under the main employment relationship in case of daily calculation may not exceed:
- 40 hours per week - for employees under 18 years of age;
- 48 hours a week - for other employees. With their explicit written consent, employees over the age of 18 may work more than 48 hours.
The employee under Art. 110 and Art. 111 gives his written consent to work more than 48 hours a week to the employer with whom he works. The written consent of the employee under Art. 111 for work more than 48 hours per week is given to the employer - party to the employment contract for additional work.
In all cases of additional work, the total duration of working hours may not violate the continuous minimum inter-day and weekly rest established by this Code.
In case it is impossible to combine the work under your main and additional employment contract, you can use the right to request paid or unpaid leave from your main employer. Keep in mind that the Labor Code provides for the consent of the employer to provide you with the requested leave.
02.02.2021
Which hinders the development of Northern Bulgaria
After presenting its annual analysis "Regional Profiles 2020", the Institute for Market Economy (IME) makes a detailed review of economic and social development in Northern Bulgaria.
"The south wins, but with the big assumption that it is the capital, which greatly distorts all attempts at such a comparison. When we eliminate the capital from the account and compare the north and the south, the south wins again, but with a much smaller margin," economist Adrian Nikolov of the Institute for Market Economics told BNR.
Geography certainly plays a very big role, but the development of historical infrastructure is even more important, he noted.
"The geographical advantage of the south is not as great as the development of the road network, especially the connections between the economic centers."
At this stage in the north we have fragmented nuclei of strong economic activity, but the ties between them are much weaker, Nikolov pointed out.
The Danube River played a major role in the development of the areas in the north during the Ottoman period, and in tsarist times as an important route on which Bulgarian goods went to Europe.
During socialism, however, this role diminished considerably, and since the fall of the regime, Bulgarian businesses and the state have failed to capitalize on this opportunity, the analyst stressed.
The small agricultural municipalities in the northwest are "prospering" as far as prosperity can be said during the crisis - this is how Adrian Nikolov described the situation with the regions less affected by the effects of the pandemic.
According to him, the most important factor is human resources. He gave examples of Silistra and Targovishte, where about a third of the population has a primary education "and this is perhaps the strongest deterrent".
Even when we try to aggressively industrialize, as happened with Plovdiv and even Yambol, the presence of a critical mass of people with vocational or at least secondary education is sufficient, but in the economy of the last decade people without basic skills remain on the sidelines of economic development, they fail to fit into the modern labor market, commented Adrian Nikolov.
The researcher pointed to Gabrovo as an example of how the local government relies on development as a local IT hub in the field of high technology and to attract staff from this engine of the Bulgarian economy with high added value, high pay and good welfare. However, this is happening against the background of a rapidly aging population, as the district is among those with the most negative demographic indicators.
Small municipalities are far behind, there are large and very old areas that remain outside the general economic trend, the analyst concluded.
The work of a home office can be an opportunity and a potential for less developed regions, Nikolov believes. He pointed out that Montana and Vratsa are among the areas that, despite the overall contraction in tourism, are developing slightly upwards even in 2020.
"These were probably people who liked a guest house, threw their laptops in their backpacks and went to work there in the summer. In this sense, municipalities and small settlements that can offer clean nature, decent infrastructure, peace and quiet away from the big city can benefit from this situation."
02.02.2021
Regional profiles 2020 - analysis of the Institute for Market Economics
For the ninth consecutive year, the Institute for Market Economics presents "Regional Profiles: Development Indicators". This year the publication reveals the socio-economic condition of the districts in Bulgaria on the eve of the pandemic. The survey is based on 64 indicators that assess the economic and social environment in the 28 districts in the country.
In addition, the IME has published a special analysis "Covid-19 and regional labor markets in 2020", which examines in depth the impact of the crisis on the regions in the country. The presentation from the presentation of the research is available here.
All data are presented in the publication, as well as on the specialized page of IME - www.regionalprofiles.bg.
The pandemic marked the economic development of the regions in Bulgaria in 2020. The country entered the year of COVID-19 with very good economic indicators. Stable growth of 3-4% in the period 2015-2019 led to record employment in almost all areas and sustainable wage growth. Gross value added in the largest districts in the country - Sofia (capital), Plovdiv and Varna, reported an increase of nearly 10% (data for 2018). On the eve of the pandemic, the processes of transformation of the domestic economy were driven by the change in the industry - oriented towards higher added value, and by the growth in the digital sphere in the major economic centers.
The gross value added per capita varies from nearly BGN 29,000 in Sofia (capital) to less than BGN 7,000 in Silistra, Sliven and Vidin. The difference between the capital and the districts at the bottom is four times, and inside the country (excluding the capital) it can reach more than twice. The profile of regional economies is different. Sofia (capital) is dominated by services that carry 89% of value added. The tourist profile of Varna and Burgas also leads to a serious predominance of services - 71% in the value added of the leading maritime areas. The strongest industrial districts in the country - as a share of industry in value added, are Stara Zagora, Vratsa, Sofia and Gabrovo. The latter are determined by the large energy companies in Stara Zagora and Vratsa, the industry in the wide periphery of the capital and the traditional industrial profile of Gabrovo.
Investment activity remains concentrated in the leading economic centers - over 70% of foreign direct investment with accumulation and over 60% of the costs for acquisition of tangible fixed assets in non-financial corporations are in Sofia (capital), Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. Although smaller in scale, the districts of Sofia, Gabrovo and Stara Zagora are doing well in terms of foreign direct investment. Despite the large differences in recent years, there has been strong dynamics in the so-called secondary centers. Industrial investments in districts such as Shumen and Targovishte to the northeast or Kardzhali and Haskovo to the south, as well as the entry of digital companies in districts such as Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo have increased investment activity outside major centers.
The unemployment rate (15+ years) in Bulgaria is below 5% in 2019. Unemployment by district, however, varies from 2-3% in Sofia (capital), Plovdiv and Varna to about 20% in Vidin and Montana. Unemployment rose in all areas of the country in 2020, as a result of the pandemic and the restrictions imposed. Restoring economic activity and job losses is one of the major challenges facing the regions this year. Areas that have more skilled workers will be in a better position to return to the pre-pandemic growth trajectory and focus on higher added value.
The study of the impact of the pandemic on the labor market (see here) shows that the dynamics of unemployment in 2020 follows closely the introduction and easing of restrictive measures in Bulgaria, and both spring and autumn "lockdown" are followed by a sharp increase in new registrations at employment offices.
The first peak affects the municipalities most severely, for which winter and spa tourism is key, as there is a significant dynamics in the stronger local economies. Only in Kardzhali the growth of the unemployed in the second "lockdown" is higher than in the first.
The unemployment rate as of December 2020 in most municipalities differs from the one reported in December 2019 by up to 2 percentage points.
Interesting trends continue to be observed in the field of education. Despite the pandemic effect and the temporary transition of students to distance learning, general trends and regional differences persist. The districts of Sofia (capital) and Smolyan continue to have the best indicators of the state matriculation exams in Bulgarian language and literature - an average of 4.63 and 4.53 in 2020. They are followed by Varna, Plovdiv, Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo. At the bottom, with estimates below the border of 4.00 are Shumen, Kardzhali, Silistra and Targovishte. In 12 districts, the share of grades below “average” 3 is over 10% of all students appeared.
The pandemic has brought healthcare to the fore. Indicators such as the number of hospital beds and access to doctors have become the most important for the quality of life in places. Regional differences are visible through the population's access to specialist doctors. While in some districts - Pleven, Sofia (capital), Plovdiv and Varna, there are less than 400 people per specialist, in others - Kardzhali, Yambol and Dobrich, there are about 700 people per specialist (data for 2018). The number of hospital beds also varies from over 9 beds per thousand people in Pleven to about 3 beds per thousand people in Dobrich, Shumen and Veliko Tarnovo.
The pandemic in 2020 affected both the economic and social indicators of the country's districts. The decline in economic activity will be seen in the macro data at the district level - for output, value added, investment and employment. In the social environment, there will inevitably be a change in healthcare, which is at the forefront against the coronavirus, as well as in demography - mostly due to higher mortality, but also due to the return of Bulgarians from abroad and the growth of registrations at the current address. settlements. Changes can also be expected in the fields of education and culture, due to the completely different work environment in 2020. The next edition of "Regional Profiles: Development Indicators" will be challenged to take into account all the nuances in the socio-economic development of the districts. during a pandemic.
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All analyzes, data and other materials related to the research can be found on the specialized website: www.regionalprofiles.bg
MONTANA DISTRICT
> Population (2019) 127 001
> Territory (sq. km) 3635.6
> Number of settlements 131
> Share of the population in cities (%) 64.3
Montana is among the areas with the lowest incomes and living standards, which determines the high share of poverty in the area. Unfavorable trends in the local labor market put Montana in last place in this category. The rise in economic activity in 2019 leads to an increase in the unemployment rate. Investment activity in the district is relatively weak. Montana performs well in the absorption of European funds. This is the area with the smallest share of highways and first-class roads in the country. The average level of local taxes in the municipalities in the district of Montana puts it in first place with the lowest taxation in 2020. The administration in the district receives relatively good grades. The continuing aging of the country's population is particularly visible in the Montana area. The natural growth rate in the district continues to decrease and is the second lowest in the country. The performance of the Montana district in terms of educational indicators is relatively weak. Access to doctors in the area is relatively high. The number of beds in the local general hospitals also remains higher than the national average. The maintenance of order and security is assessed as weak. The performance of the district in terms of environmental indicators is very good. The share of delivered waste for treatment and recycling remains high. Montana is the area with the least cultural life in 2019.
Income and standard of living
Montana is among the areas with the lowest incomes and living standards. Despite the low base, the gross domestic product per capita in the district is growing twice as slow as the national average and in 2018 reached BGN 9.0 thousand compared to BGN 15.6 thousand / person in the country. Wages and incomes are also growing relatively slowly. The average annual gross salary in the district is BGN 10.1 thousand (compared to BGN 13.8 thousand in the country), and in 2019 the income per household member is BGN 4,644 (compared to BGN 6,013 in the country). The low level of wages and incomes also predetermines the high share of poverty in the Montana region. In 2019, the share of the population living below the national poverty line is 47.4% - twice as high as the national average (22.6%). The share of the population living with material deprivation reaches 22.7% compared to 19.9% in the country.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Labor market
Unfavorable trends in the local labor market put Montana in last place in this category in 2019. Economic activity increased significantly compared to the previous year, but remained lower than the national average - 68.6% compared to 74.3% in the country. Due to the problems on the labor market, however, the increase in economic activity only leads to an increase in the unemployment rate. In 2019, employment decreased by 4 percentage points. up to 48.2% and remains the lowest in the country with average values of 70.1%. At the same time, unemployment increased by 5 percentage points. to 20.4% (compared to 4.2% in the country) and ahead of the one in Vidin district, again putting Montana at the bottom of the rankings. The relatively low education of the labor force remains a huge challenge for the labor market. The share of graduates is almost three times lower than the national average - 10% compared to 28% in the country, and the share of the labor force with primary and lower education reaches 30% compared to 18% in the country. Both indicators have developed unfavorably in the last few years.
Investment and economics
Investment activity in the district is relatively weak. In 2018, Montana remains among the districts with the lowest number of enterprises - 36 per 1,000 people compared to 59 per 1,000 people in the country, as well as among the districts with the lowest volume of investment. The costs for acquisition of tangible fixed assets even decrease to BGN 1,157/person compared to BGN 2,750/person in the country. A decrease is also observed in foreign direct investment and their amount remains ten times lower than the average - 274 euros/person compared to 3560 euros/person in the country. Although there has been an increase in recent years, production in the district remains low - BGN 13.0 thousand/person compared to BGN 25.9 thousand/person in the country in 2018. On the other hand, Montana is performing well in the absorption of European funds. As of June 15, 2020, the value of the amounts paid to beneficiaries under the operational programs reaches BGN 2202/person (compared to BGN 1976/person in the country). Within the district the highest values are in the municipalities of Montana and Georgi Damyanovo.
Infrastructure
The density of the road and railway network in the district is around the national average. At the same time, Montana has the smallest share of highways and first-class roads - 9.8% compared to 18.6% in the country in 2019. Only 28.9% of the road surface is in good condition compared to 41.4% in the country. The population's access to the Internet is increasing and reaches 78% of households compared to 75% in the country.
Local taxes
The average level of local taxes in Montana municipalities puts the district in first place with the lowest taxation in 2020. In all five considered local taxes, the rates in Montana district are lower than the national average. The biggest difference is in the taxation of retail trade. In the municipalities of the district it is on average BGN 5.10 / sq.m. Compared to BGN 12.93 / sq.m in the country. The tax on the taxi transport in the district is lower by more than 33%, and by about 20% - on the vehicles and on the real estate of the non-legal entities.
Administration
The Montana administration received relatively good grades. Along with the increase in the country, the coverage of the cadastre is increasing and in 2019 the cadastral map already covers almost the entire territory of the district. In 2020, the self-assessments of local administrations for the development of e-government and for the provision of one-stop-shop administrative services will also increase. The transparency of the administration is assessed lower than the previous year, but remains higher than the national average in 2020. Within the district, the municipalities of Boychinovtsi, Berkovitsa and Chiprovtsi perform best on this indicator.
Demographics
The continuing aging of the country's population is particularly visible in the Montana area. The natural growth rate continues to decrease and is the second lowest in the country after that in Vidin district, reaching in 2019 -14.5 ‰ compared to -6.7 ‰ in the country. Emigration also contributes to the rapid decline of the district's population. In 2019, the coefficient of mechanical growth decreases to -6.1 ‰. These processes have a very negative impact on age dependence in the district. The ratio of the population over 65 to that of 0–14 years reaches 195% (compared to 150% in the country), and to that of 15–64 years - 44% (compared to 34% in the country). A relatively small part of the district's population lives in cities - 64% compared to 74% in the country. The population density in the urbanized territories is also among the lowest in the country - 894 people / sq. Km compared to 1510 people / sq. Km in the country.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Education
The performance of the Montana district in terms of educational indicators is relatively weak. In 2019, the enrollment rate in grades V – VIII decreased and reached 81.1% (compared to 86.6% in the country). The shares of second-year students and those who have dropped out of primary and secondary education are increasing and remain higher than the national average. The average success of students in the national external assessment in mathematics after seventh grade continues to be among the lowest in the country in 2020 - 27.8 points compared to 36.3 points in the country, but marked a slight improvement over previous two years. At the same time, the success of the state matriculation exams in Bulgarian language and literature is close to the national average. The average grade of students from Montana is 4.15 (compared to 4.20 in the country), and the share of poor grades is 6.5% (compared to 8.2% in the country). The relative number of teachers in primary and secondary education in the district increases with the average growth rate in the country and remains close to the average values. There are no universities or affiliates in the Montana area.
Healthcare
In the Montana area, access to doctors is relatively high. One local general practitioner cares for 1443 people (out of 1688 people per doctor in the country). The relative number of specialist doctors is close to the national average. The bed capacity in the local general hospitals also remains higher than the average. In 2019, the hospitals in the district have 688 beds per 100 thousand.
Order and security
Maintaining order and security in the Montana area is assessed as weak. Although the workload of local criminal judges is relatively low (one judge handles an average of 7.7 cases per month, compared to 9.1 cases per judge per month in the country), the administration of justice is relatively slow. In 2019, cases completed within 3 months will decrease to 80% (compared to 90% in the country), and pending cases will increase to 15% (compared to 10% in the country). Montana is among the areas with the highest crime rates. In 2019, the registered crimes against the person and property in the district exceed 13 per 1000 people of the population (compared to 11 per 1000 people in the country). However, their detection rate is increasing and again ahead of the national average.
Environment
The performance of the Montana region in terms of environmental indicators is very good in 2018. The volume of carbon dioxide emissions is ten times lower than the national average - 7.3 t/sq. km at 274.8 t/sq. km in the country. The generated waste also remains relatively small - 268 kg / person per year compared to 409 kg / person in the country. The share of delivered waste for treatment and recycling remains high - 95% compared to 71% in the country. The share of the population related to wastewater treatment plants remains extremely low (35.5% compared to 63.9% for the country), as well as the share of the population living in settlements with public sewerage (59.9% compared to 76.2% in the country).
Culture
Montana is the area with the least cultural life in 2019. Visits to local theaters and cinemas are increasing, but remain many times lower than the national average. The theaters reported 88 visits per 1,000 people (compared to 362 per 1,000 people in the country), and the museums - 155 per 1,000 people (compared to 770 per 1,000 people in the country). In 2019, for the first time in the district there is a cinema, and the visits are 97 per 1000 people - still far from the average values for the other districts (659 per 1000 people). Since 2015, there is no library in the district large enough to be included in the official NSI statistics.
