09.05.2023
IN WHICH SECTORS ARE THEY LOOKING FOR WORKERS?
Job offers decreased by 5%, and at the end of April they were just over 49,000, according to an analysis of the JobTiger platform. On an annual basis, there is also a decrease of 7% or 3,500 listings less compared to April 2022. However, the number of listings remains high and there is still no cause for concern.
Contrary to the previous March, April saw a slight drop in offers in almost all sectors. The exception is the "Hospitality and restaurant industry" sector, which, characteristic of the season, continues to see growth. The number of listings in this sector increased by 4% or 440 more offers.
The number of advertisements in the "Healthcare and Pharmacy" sector remains almost unchanged. Its offers have increased by 25 (1% growth). In all other sectors, the number of offers decreased in April.
The biggest declines were in the "Manufacturing" (560 offers less, 7% drop) and "IT" (460 offers less, 9% drop) sectors. They are followed by the sectors "Administrative and service activities" (390 offers less, 7% drop), "Accounting, auditing, finance" (330 offers less, 14% drop), "Construction" (310 offers more little, down 11%), "Trade & Sales" (250 fewer offers, down 2%), "Logistics & Transportation" (240 fewer offers, down 5%) and "Marketing & Advertising" (110 offers down -small, 7% decline). The noticeable decline in offers in the "IT" sector continues, and compared to April 2022, they are 3,370 fewer, or a drop of 45%.
Share distribution
As a share of offers in April, the sectors "Trade and sales" with 23% and "Hospitality and restaurants" with 20% are strong leaders. Advertisements in these two sectors formed almost half of the job offers in the country in April.
The sectors "Manufacturing" (14%) "Administrative and service activities" (9.4%), "Logistics and transport" (8.8%), "IT" (8%) "Construction" (5%), " Healthcare and Pharmacy' (4.1%), 'Accounting, Auditing, Finance' (4%), 'Marketing and Advertising' (3%) and 'Art' (1%).
Work from home
Offers for work from home and/or remote work decreased by 11% in April. In number, they are just over 3900. The distribution of these offers by sector is: 60% in the "IT" sector, followed by "Administrative and service activities" (15%), the outsourcing industry sectors (13%) and "Trade and sales" (7%). As a share in April, work from home and/or telecommuting ads are 9% of all ads. The analysis shows that since the beginning of the year, offers of this type have fallen by 20%. Of course, here you can see the connection between these listings and listings in the IT sector, which has seen a year-to-date decline of 23%. On a year-over-year basis, job-from-home and/or telecommuting jobs are down 34% or 2,000 less than in April 2022.
Offer by cities
The total number of advertisements in the leading regional cities decreased by 7%. The dynamics in each of them is as follows: Sofia (-8%), Plovdiv (-7%), Varna (-2%), Burgas (-1%), Ruse (-4%) and Stara Zagora (1 %).
As a share, the ads for the city of Sofia are 40%, and in the other cities are: Plovdiv (10%), Varna (10%), Burgas (5%), Ruse (3%) and Stara Zagora (3%).
09.05.2023
WHAT PENALTIES ARE FACED BY PARENTS WHO DO NOT SUPERVISE AND DO NOT ACCOMPANIE THEIR CHILDREN
Not infrequently, in recent years, information has appeared about night checks in discotheques, where minors or even minors are found. Reports immediately follow of parents being summoned and fined for not accompanying their children. It is an open secret that in thousands and even tens of thousands of cases, parents leave their children unsupervised or unaccompanied in cases where the law mandates that this be done. And although very often this leaves no consequence, it is good to know the rules and the danger of taking responsibility and sanctioning.
A special Child Protection Law has been in force in Bulgaria for several years. During this period, it already has more than 20 amendments and additions, but it is definitely becoming more and more commonly used. Something more. Children can now often be heard telling their parents that they will "give them to child welfare" if they don't listen to them or if they scold them. All kidding aside, however, it should definitely be pointed out that there are really a lot of rules in the law that really aren't known very much.
In the Child Protection Act, it is explicitly noted that child protection is carried out through certain bodies. Such are, for example, the chairman of the State Agency for Child Protection and the administration that supports him in the exercise of his powers. The ministers of labor and social policy, of internal affairs, of education and science, of justice, of foreign affairs, of culture, of health care and mayors of municipalities are also such bodies. The most frequently used and those who are on the front line, however, are the "Social Assistance" directorates.
The law specifies the rights and obligations of parents, guardians, custodians or other persons who take care of a child. The rights are few and quite generally written. Thus, the law states that "any parent, guardian, custodian or other person who takes care of a child may request and receive assistance from the authorities under this law." They also have the right to be informed and consulted about all measures and actions taken under this law and can request a change in the measures if the circumstances change.
At the same time, however, there are many responsibilities for parents, guardians, custodians or other persons caring for a child. For example, they are obliged to accompany the child in public places after 20:00 if the child has not reached the age of 14, respectively after 22:00 if the child has reached the age of 14 but not reached the age of 18 years old. If everyone who is assigned to take care of a child cannot accompany him, they are obliged to provide an adult with legal capacity to accompany him in public places after 10:00 p.m. if the child has reached the age of 14, but is under the age of 18. Certification of the quality of the child's companion takes place in accordance with the procedure determined by an ordinance dedicated to the specialized protection of children in public places.
In addition, parents, guardians or other persons who take care of a child are obliged to implement the measures taken under this law and to assist in the implementation of child protection activities, the Child Protection Law provides. They are obliged not to leave children under the age of 12 without supervision and care, "if this creates a danger for their physical, mental and moral development". Definitely too stretchy a norm.
Anyone caring for a child also has a duty to prevent the child from participating in advertisements or other forms of commercial communication for genetically modified foods. They must not in any way allow the participation of children in programs within the meaning of the Law on Radio and Television, which are unfavorable or create a danger of damage to their physical, mental, moral and/or social development.
The Child Protection Act also provides for considerable fines for non-compliance with these obligations. For example, a parent, guardian, custodian or other person who violates the rule that he must accompany or at least provide a companion during the hours specified above, is "punished with a fine or a pecuniary sanction of BGN 300 to BGN 500, and in case of repeated violation - with a fine or a pecuniary sanction of BGN 500 to BGN 1,000." Whoever, in violation of the law, leaves without supervision and sufficient care a child under the age of 12, for whom he is taking care, thereby creating a danger for his physical, mental and moral development, shall be punished with a fine of BGN 1,000 to BGN 2,000 for the first offense, and in the event of a repeated violation - with a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 BGN. And that, if it is not subject to a more severe administrative penalty under a special law or the act does not constitute a crime.
A parent, guardian, custodian or other person who takes care of a child who violates his obligations related to advertisements is punished with a fine of BGN 250 to BGN 500 for the first violation, and in the case of a second violation - with a fine of BGN 500 to BGN 1,000 BGN Fines are higher for violations of obligations related to a child's participation in a radio or television program. If such participation is allowed and thereby creates a danger for his physical, mental, moral and/or social development, he is punished with a fine of BGN 1,000 to BGN 2,000, and in the event of a repeat violation - with a fine of BGN 2,000 to BGN 5,000. And here the fines are if the perpetrator is not subject to a heavier administrative penalty under a special law or the act does not constitute a crime.
It is also important to know that anyone who fails to comply with an enforced mandatory prescription under the Child Protection Act is punished with a fine or a pecuniary sanction of BGN 2,000 to 5,000, and in case of a repeated violation - with a fine or a pecuniary sanction of BGN 5,000 to 10 BGN 000.
05.05.2023
LOW WAGES, SUPPORT FROM PARENTS, POOR EDUCATION AND LAZINESS ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON REASONS WHY YOUNG PEOPLE IN BULGARIA DO NOT WORK
1,725 young people under the age of 29 are registered as unemployed at the Labor Offices in the three regions of North-West Bulgaria according to the latest data of the Employment Agency. There are 447 in the Vidin region, 715 in Vratsa, and 563 in Montana. On a national scale, about 140,000 young people neither study nor work. The data were presented at a round table on the topic "Work for young people, young people at work", organized by MEP Petar Vitanov.
"Bulgaria has been facing a cascade of crises in recent years that have created a major workforce problem." This was said by the head of the Delegation of the Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament.
According to a nationally representative survey by Trend agency, presented by sociologist Evelina Slavkova, 88 percent of those questioned believe that there should be more state policies aimed at unemployed youth.
"Approximately 60 percent of respondents believe that the education system does not sufficiently prepare young people to find a job, 25 percent have the opposite opinion. 75 percentage points of the respondents indicate low pay among the reasons why young people cannot find work; poor conditions from employers and without contracts - 51 percent; 50 percent point out a lack of jobs; 48 percent note the lack of experience; 38 percent - lack of initiative to look for work. 42 percent, mostly between 18 and 29 years old, answer, that the state is obliged to provide work. Finding a job is a personal responsibility, 51 percent believe. When asked whether or not there are enough opportunities for employment, 33 percent of recipients answer positively, while 55 percent are of the opposite opinion. 34 percent believe that there should be more opportunities for retraining, 13 percent - that a reform in higher education is needed. According to 75 percent of the young people asked, they can only find a job in the big cities, and 56 percent believe that it is easier abroad . 66% of Bulgarians believe that young people should have connections in order to find a good job. When you ask them why you don't want to work or study, they say that their parents are abroad and support me. In smaller settlements, the money they receive from their parents abroad is much higher than the salary they would receive in that settlement. Young people in Bulgaria are lazy and that's why they can't find a job, according to 32% of the respondents."
Daniel Parushev, chairman of the National Representation of Student Councils, also took part in the discussion. He outlined the problems in preparing young people for the labor market. He drew attention to the fact that more and more unprepared young people enter higher education institutions, scholarships continue to be low, and the conditions in the majority of dormitories are not good. The lack of innovation of professors and assistants is among the reasons why students do not attend lectures and exercises, he pointed out. There is a lack of connection with business, enough paid internships for the student community. Bulgarian companies show little interest, but still, higher education in our country has grown a lot, Parushev also stated.
In a global context, the labor market is changing at an extremely high speed, technological developments and innovations are emerging, said Atanas Pekanov, the Deputy Prime Minister for the management of European funds. This will be the 21st century - a century of challenges, of new competencies that we must acquire every single day, he commented. Pekanov pointed out that with each passing day, we must work to ensure that young people have access to these competencies. We must not forget something that will be necessary for all of us – the ability to learn for life, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
More than 140,000 young people are not employed and do not participate in any form of training, noted Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Emil Mingov. According to him, this is a huge reserve, the question is to be able to move it. We are faced with a heterogeneous mass of young people who do not work and do not study, he pointed out and added that some of them are in a vulnerable position, including the Roma community, but there are others who, despite everything, do not want to work. Regarding the first group, the deputy minister said that a model of centers is currently being developed in the Roma communities themselves, where it will be established what can activate young people to work and how to change the current practice, where some people work irregularly and at the same time they receive social benefits.
The trend at the moment is for children to stay in Bulgaria to complete their first bachelor's degree here and then, through the master's degree, to see foreign experience as well, said the Acting Minister of Education and Science Prof. Sasho Penov at a round table dedicated to young people. "Of the enrolled students, 60% graduate, the others give up because they don't want to study," the Minister of Education pointed out.
The problem of youth employment is more comprehensive, but the reasons for high unemployment among young people are rather prosaic. This was noted by Vanya Grigorova, economic adviser of the Confederation of Labor "Support":
"When we make the environment in Bulgaria more welcoming for young people, then we can expect them to stay here to study, raise families and have children. Otherwise, we will continue to queue at Terminal 2. We cannot continue like this , especially if the rulers continue to turn a blind eye to such key problems as low pay, exploitation, the impossibility of studying normally in Bulgaria."
04.05.2023
THE EC GRANTS US MONEY FOR 787,000 BULGARIANS THREATENED BY POVERTY
In some EU countries, cohesion funds represent significant support, and in Bulgaria their value by 2027 reaches 1.8 percent of GDP, according to data presented by the European Commission. It is added that in 2020, GDP per capita in Bulgaria was 55 percent of the EU average, and in the Sofia region it was 92 percent, while in all other regions it was from 36 to 42 percent.
It is noted that for less developed regions the funding is even higher and in the Bulgarian North-West region it exceeds 3.5 percent of GDP per year on average. According to forecasts, in the next four years, these European funds will contribute to GDP growth of three percent in our country, Romania and Portugal. By 2027, Bulgaria has 10.8 billion euros available for cohesion, and the funds will be directed to economic, social and territorial development, including the transition to an environmentally friendly and digitized economy.
The Commission clarifies that our country receives assistance for the development of innovations under the general policy for the exchange of technology and research results, and their application in companies and the economy, for the digitization of the administration. 140 million euros have been allocated for the improvement of Bulgarian centers of excellence, 200 million euros will be provided to 12 centers for digital innovation. Over 10,000 Bulgarian companies will receive targeted support to increase competitiveness through new production investments and the adoption of modern technologies.
It is added that the Bulgarian economy is the most energy-intensive in the EU and waste management remains a challenge, with household waste processing still significantly below the EU average. Bulgaria is among the most vulnerable countries in the EU to changes in nature, including rising temperatures, drought and excessive rainfall.
To address these challenges, an investment of €2.1 billion will help our country achieve its goals for drinking water and urban wastewater quality, for a clean and circular economy, for biodiversity, and for comprehensive disaster risk management.
Over 1.7 million people will benefit from improved access to public water supplies and 340,000 people will gain access to new or improved wastewater treatment.
The density of railway lines and roads in Bulgaria is far below the EU average, with a third of the national road network being of poor quality, and this affects regional connectivity and road safety, the commission's assessment states. The EU is allocating 1.5 billion euros to address these issues. The planned investments will promote the use of clean modes of transport and alternative fuels, improve the quality of roads and contribute to reducing the harmful impact of transport on the environment. Projects to improve 167 kilometers of roads will be funded. With European funds, it is planned to develop railway sections, including the connection between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia and the line Sofia - Pernik - Radomir.
The levels of poverty and income inequality in Bulgaria are particularly high among children, people with disabilities, Roma and those living in rural and remote areas, adds the EC. 2.5 billion euros have been earmarked to combat these inequalities. The investment is expected to improve early childhood education and care. The funds will promote the inclusion of the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly and disabled, as well as the Roma.
It is expected that over 330,000 Bulgarian citizens will be supported in their job search, including over 45,000 Roma. In the field of education, 760,000 children and students will benefit from European funding. More than 530,000 low-income and disadvantaged Bulgarians are expected to receive food and cleaning supplies each year, and 50,000 to receive a hot lunch throughout the year.
In total, European funds are expected to contribute by 2030 to increasing the employment rate in our country to 79 percent, and every third adult will continue to study. These measures are expected to benefit 787,000 Bulgarians threatened by poverty and exclusion from society. By 2029, European funds should improve housing conditions for 1,247 Bulgarians and provide support for energy efficiency in 3,731 residential buildings.
03.05.2023
INSURANCE AND TAXES UNDER CIVIL CONTRACTS
A civil contract is a contract by which a person, called the "executor", undertakes to provide a certain production result (physical work) at the order of another person/firm, called the "contractor".
The very name "civil contract" is rather colloquial and has become established in practice due to its easier recognition. In the labor law world, the contract governing this kind of relationship between the parties is called an "assignment contract".
The rights and obligations of employers, assignors and insured persons when exercising labor under an employment contract and a civil contract are different.
What are the differences in insurance and taxes between an employment contract and a civil contract?
Insurance
Insurance is one of the big differences between an employment contract and a civil contract. The civil contract is not considered a work experience, but only an insurance one. Contractors under a civil contract are insured for fewer risks than those working under an employment contract.
In the employment contract, each profession has a precisely defined minimum insurance threshold. This is the minimum on which the person is generally insured for all insurance risks.
In the civil contract, if the remuneration after deducting the legally recognized expenses is less than the minimum wage for the country and the person is not insured on another basis, no insurance is due. The person pays only health contributions at his own expense, as is the case with unemployed persons. Insurance is also not required if the executor is a sole trader or a self-insured person.
The civil contract does not include insurance for occupational accidents, occupational disease, general illness and maternity, unemployment, and accordingly, executors under civil contracts are not entitled to compensation from the state on these grounds.
If the person is insured on another basis or receives remuneration in an amount greater than the minimum wage after deduction of statutory expenses, then compulsory insurance for disability, due to general illness, for old age and death, as well as health insurance installments.
The mandatory insurance contributions for persons working under a civil contract and insured during the month on another basis in an amount equal to or exceeding the minimum wage for the country, are:
- Pension fund of the State Social Insurance - for disability, general illness, old age and death (for persons born before January 1, 1960) - in the amount of 11.02% for the insurer and 8.78% for the insured;
- Pension fund of the State Social Insurance - for disability, general illness, old age and death (for persons born after December 31, 1959) - in the amount of 8.22% for the insurer and 6.58% for the insured;
- Additional mandatory pension insurance in the Universal Pension Fund (for persons born after December 31, 1959) - in the amount of 2.8% for the insurer and 2.2% for the insured;
- Health insurance - in the amount of 4.8% for the insurer and 3.2% for the insured.
Taxes
Executors under a civil contract are obliged to declare to the contracting authority whether they are insured and for what amount on other grounds, so that the following things are taken into account when calculating the fee:
- Individuals who are registered as self-insured receive the gross amount specified in the contract, without deductions for insurance and tax. They themselves have the obligation to pay and declare their monthly insurance and taxes;
- Persons who, even on several grounds, are insured for less than minimum wage in the month of payment of the fee, do not pay insurance contributions;
- Persons who are insured on several grounds are obliged to pay insurance up to the maximum insurance income for the country, which as of April 2022 is BGN 3,400, i. e. if the person is already insured on another basis above the threshold of BGN 3,400, no insurance contributions should be withheld from the additional remuneration under the civil contract;
- Pensioners working under a civil contract are required to have health insurance if their insurance income is equal to or exceeds the minimum wage, but insurance contributions to the State Social Insurance Fund and Supplementary Mandatory Pension Insurance are optional. In the case of civil contracts, there is a statutory recognized expenses (amount that is not subject to insurance and tax), which are in the amount of 25% for income from exercising a free profession or remuneration from non-employment legal relations according to Art. 29, paragraph 1, item 3 of the Law on Personal Income Taxes. After deducting the legally recognized expenses, the amount received is called insurance income, which is taxed with the mandatory insurances at the executor's expense. After deducting the insurance contributions, the amount received is subject to 10% income tax, according to the provisions of the Law on Personal Income Taxes.
The insurance contributions are declared by the contractor every month with a declaration form 1 and 6 by the 25th of the month following the month of remuneration payment. The tax is declared quarterly with a declaration under Art. 55 of the Law on Personal Income Taxes by the end of the month following the corresponding quarter of the year.
Executors under a civil contract are obliged to submit an annual tax return by April 30 of the following year. In the annual tax return, the income from all legal relationships of the person during the calendar year is included. For this purpose, each employer or contractor issues a service memo under Art. 45 of the Law on Personal Income Taxes for the respective amounts paid to the person during the calendar year.
03.05.2023
OVER 14,400 UNEMPLOYED AND INACTIVE PERSONS CAN START WORK UNDER COMPONENT 3 "EMPLOYMENT" OF THE "STARTING A JOB" MEASURE OF THE HRDP
Over 14,400 unemployed and inactive Bulgarian citizens can start work under Component 3 "Employment" of the "Starting a job" measure of the Human Resources Development Program. The component is open for application by the HRDP Managing Authority, the Employment Agency being an eligible candidate. The budget of Component 3 is BGN 224 million, co-financed by the European Union. Over BGN 206 million will be directed to the implementation of projects in underdeveloped regions, and over BGN 17.7 million will be directed to regions in transition.
Inactive and unemployed participants will be included in the activities under Component 3, with 14,400 people expected to have a job upon leaving the operation, including as self-employed. Unemployed and inactive persons can be included in employment with employers from all economic sectors, with the exception of "Agriculture, forestry and fisheries", "Activities of households as employers; Undifferentiated activities of households in the production of goods and services for own consumption' and 'Activities of extraterritorial organizations and services'. Municipalities and municipal enterprises are also eligible employers.
With Component 3 "Employment" the inclusion of inactive and unemployed people in employment will be ensured, and the period of subsidized employment will depend on the hiring of employees from the relevant target group. For the unemployed and inactive persons, subsidized employment will be provided for a period of up to 6 months. For unemployed and inactive disadvantaged participants, employment support will be for a period of up to 12 months. Unemployed and inactive people with permanent disabilities and degree of disability 75 and above 75% will be able to be appointed under the project for a period of up to 24 months. All participants in the measure will be informed and consulted for inclusion in employment applying an individual approach.
After the end of the project, the employers should keep the employment of at least half of the appointed employees for a period of 50% of the period of the subsidized employment. Employers will have an obligation to keep the employment of at least half of the employed participants with permanent disabilities for no less than 3 months. Employers who retain the appointed employees after the project ends will receive a one-time quarterly incentive.
02.05.2023
OVER 20% OF BULGARIANS WERE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE IN THE PAST YEAR
In 2022, the total poverty line for the country is BGN 525.92 per household member per month. With this size of the poverty line, 1.5719 million people, or 22.9% of the country's population, were below the poverty line, according to data from the National Statistical Institute.
Compared to the previous year, the size of the poverty line increased by 4.3% from BGN 504.33 in 2021, and the relative share of the poor population in Bulgaria increased by 0.8 percentage points compared to 22.1% a year earlier.
The social protection system is essential for reducing poverty.
Data for 2022 show that if pension income is included in household income, but other social transfers (benefits, social and family allowances and supplements) are excluded, the poverty rate rises from 22.9 to 30.3% , or by 7.4 percentage points within a year.
When pensions and other social transfers are excluded, the poverty level rises to 44.2%, or by 21.3 percentage points.
The main factor increasing the risk of falling into the group of poor for the majority of the population is their economic activity and their participation in the labor market.
Over the entire observation period, the relative share of the poor is highest among the unemployed (56.9% for 2022), with the risk of poverty for unemployed men being 3.3 percentage points higher than for unemployed women. also show the data of the National Statistical Institute.
In 2022, the share of the poor among employed persons in the age group 18 - 64 years remains unchanged compared to the previous year - 10%, and the risk of falling into poverty among those working part-time is approximately three times higher than that among those working full time. At the same time, the risk of poverty among working women is 3.2 percentage points lower than that of men.
The level of education has a significant impact on the risk of poverty among employed persons, the survey of national statistics shows.
The relative share of the working poor with primary and no education is the highest - 68.5%. As the level of education increases, the relative share of the working poor decreases by two times for persons with primary education and more than seven times for persons with secondary education. The share of the working poor with higher education is the lowest - only 3.2%.
Estimates of poverty by household type show that the relative share of the poor is highest among single-person households with a person over the age of 65, reaching 61.3% in 2022, as well as with a single person in a household - a woman (56.2% for 2022). Among single-person households, the risk of poverty for women is 21.9 percentage points higher than for men. If there is one person over 65 living in the household, the risk of poverty is 35.4 percentage points higher than a household with one person under 65 living.
In 2022, the highest relative share of the poor among persons self-identified from the Roma ethnic group - 63.2%, and the lowest - among persons self-identified from the Bulgarian ethnic group - 17.3%.
28.04.2023
REGISTERED UNEMPLOYMENT IN BULGARIA WAS 5.4% IN MARCH
In the month of March, the Employment Agency reports 152,230 registered unemployed, which is 3,298 persons or 2.1% less than in February. With this number, the level of registered unemployment in March was 5.4%, which is 0.1 points lower compared to the previous month and compared to March 2022.
The number of newly registered unemployed in March increased by 1,898 compared to February 2023. According to the reported data, they were 20,096 persons, with a decrease of 1,451 persons on an annual basis. Another 597 people from the groups of jobseekers employed, students and pensioners also registered with the employment offices during the month. In March, labor mediators - Roma and youth mediators managed to activate a little over 1,700 inactive persons for registration at the labor offices.
During the month, 17,189 vacancies were reported in the labor offices on the primary market, which is a decrease of 0.8% compared to March 2022. The most vacancies in the real economy were reported in the hotel and restaurant industry (23.8%). manufacturing (21.2%), followed by government (11.2%), trade (9.4%), agriculture, forestry and fisheries (8.0%) and administrative and support activities (5.0%).
The most sought-after occupations by businesses in March are: personnel employed in the field of personal services; staff caring for people; sellers; workers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; workers in the mining and processing industries, construction and transport; machine operators of stationary machinery and equipment; drivers of motor vehicles and mobile equipment; waste collection and related workers; metallurgists, machine builders and related workers, and artisans; food preparation assistants, etc.
An increase in the number of unemployed people who started work in March reports the administrative statistics of the Employment Agency. In the third month of the year, they were 16,107 - 2,911 more than in February 2023. 429 pensioners, students and employed persons also found work through the employment offices.
The largest share of those who started working in the processing industry sector - 18.2%, followed by those in trade - 13.2%, hotels and restaurants - 9.6%, state administration - 8.9%, agriculture, forestry and fisheries -8.3%, human health care and social work - 5.5%, construction 5.1% and others.
In March, 1,517 unemployed people from the risk groups were assigned to subsidized jobs - 97 under employment programs and measures and 1,420 - under schemes of the Operational Program "Human Resources Development". A total of 383 unemployed and employed people have been included in various trainings, and 80 people have completed the training started in previous months, having acquired a new profession or key competence.
27.04.2023
BARDAROV: IN 2050, THE ROMA WILL BE 1.1-1.2 MILLION OUT OF A TOTAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 5 MILLION IN THE COUNTRY
The battle in the 21st century will not be for resources, such as food, but for an active population.
This is what Prof. Dr. Georgi Bardarov, specialist in demography, ethno-political conflicts, geography of population and settlements, geodemography and geo-urban studies, says for BTA. He is a teacher and deputy dean at the Faculty of Geology and Geography of Sofia University.
Societies, not only in Bulgaria, are aging rapidly and very soon there will be a fierce battle for the attraction of human resources all over the world, says Bardarov. According to him, there is no way to deny that the demographic crisis in our country is very serious, but it is not hopeless and it is impossible to make predictions in which year the last Bulgarian will disappear. His position is that apocalyptic calculations should not be made, because demographically things can quickly turn around, albeit with a delayed effect.
"For example, in 1989 there were forecasts that by the year 2000, Bulgaria would have a population of between 9.5 and 10 million people, and we were under 8 million", pointed out Bardarov.
According to him, things are always reversible, both in a negative and in a positive direction, the question is what the state policy will be.
According to him, the big problem for our country is that emphasis is placed on things that cannot be influenced and therefore there are no results. In our country, when we talk about demography, the focus is mainly on the birth rate, but this is a wrong approach, Burdarov believes. He recalled that this problem applies to the entire developed world, it is dictated by objective factors and will not change in the foreseeable future. The average number of children born to a woman of childbearing age in the EU is 1.5, in Bulgaria it is 1.56, i.e. we are above the average level for Europe, the expert pointed out. The lowest birth rate in Europe is in Italy - 7.8 per thousand, the highest - in Eire - 12.8 per thousand, Bulgaria has 8.9 per thousand and is again in the middle, added Bardarov.
A total demographic change is coming
There is a theory about the demographic transition - that it goes through four phases, the expert said. The latter has low and equal birth and death rates, zero natural growth, which at some point turns to negative natural growth, Bardarov explained.
According to him, the developed world is currently in this fourth phase, but other regions of the world will also gradually enter it. Burdarov's prediction is that in about 40-50 years what is currently happening in Europe will happen all over the world.
When asked what happens after the fourth phase, the expert explained that for now there is no continuation of the theory.
His personal opinion as a demographer is that there will be extremely critical birth rates and extremely high life expectancy.
"It is possible that this is the Earth's natural way to reach an optimal number of population and then naturally the number of people will go down," says Bardarov.
However, according to him, in any case, a total demographic change is coming. In fact, it is already happening, Bardarov added.
He develops his theory in his new monograph, Globalization and New Demographic Patterns of the 21st Century, where he states that there are three entirely new demographic patterns. These are very low birth rates, increasingly outdated societies and the third pattern – global population displacement. It's not that there were no migrations in the past, for example the Great Migration of Peoples, but the scale at the moment is radically different, Burdarov explained. And he specified that, according to him, in the 21st century humanity is entering a completely new world in terms of demography and identity.
Even in China, there is already a shortage of human resources, of an active population, the expert said. According to him, this has become a fact in an artificial way, because of the model for one child in a family, but there is also an aging of society.
It is clear that migration flows have recently been heading towards Europe, added Bardarov.
According to him, for the first time in the history of the world there is such a pronounced flow from south to north, although in principle it is more logical to be from north to south, due to natural conditions. In general, however, according to the scientist, many of the upcoming processes can only be guessed, because the world is changing and will be radically different with technology, with digital nomads, with the fact that you can work from anywhere on the planet.
People will look for nature, tranquility and infrastructure
In the very near future, people will look for the most acceptable living conditions from the point of view of nature first, ecology and tranquility second, and infrastructure related to raising children, Bardarov added. According to him, societies that invest in these factors will attract an active population.
In our country, many are shocked when it is said that we should attract people of active age - educated and qualified, regardless of where, the expert added.
His position is the opposite, but he points out as a problem that we do not have the necessary infrastructure. Territories like Northwestern Bulgaria, with staggering rates of depopulation, cannot remain empty, Bardarov pointed out.
He also added that 42 percent of the population in our country in 2030 will live in the six largest cities in the country. The expert dismissed the grumbling against urbanization, pointing out that it is a global process.
The urban population in the world was 3 percent in the 19th century, and now it is 54-55 percent and will soon be 70 percent, Bardarov explained.
For him, the main problem is the assumption of uneven distribution, not that people go to the cities. As a good example, he gave Germany with its adequate regional policy, which prevents territories from being depopulated. In Bulgaria, the first thing that the state can and should do is to build social and road infrastructure, Bardarov explained.
He pointed out that there is no way to attract young families to the North-West if the nearest hospital is at least 60 kilometers away, there are no kindergartens, and the roads are dangerous.
There is no way for young people to go at the moment, so the state must first provide the necessary infrastructure, and then think about how to stimulate business in order to create jobs, the expert said.
He recommends a change in two things - in the administrative-territorial division of the country and in the pension system. Apart from the North-West, the Strandzha-Sakar region is also depopulated, added the expert. There are also serious demographic problems in in the region of Kyustendil, Breznik and Tran.
A major factor in reversing negative trends is education
When asked whether there could be a reversal of the negative trends, the expert indicated that, for him, the main factor for this is education.
It is a fact that the more educated a person is, the lower his reproductive attitudes are, explained Bardarov.
According to him, the state cannot help to raise the birth rate, but it can take care of the increase of the young, active, educated population - to stay in our country, work, live and give birth to children here, and not in other countries. Our education must be adequate to the modern world, the expert pointed out. According to him, many quality people work in our educational system, but it simply does not correspond to the current times.
As an example, he gives his work at the university, where he used to give knowledge and information to students, but today they rely on their phones for that. "I can't give them information, I have to tell them how to interpret it, analyze it, how to use it," the teacher pointed out.
There is a seven-step program for the demographic restart of Bulgaria and it requires change in all spheres, Burdarov also said. Among the steps is a proactive migration policy, which includes three things. The first is to create conditions for these young people who are currently in Bulgaria to want to live in Bulgaria, Burdarov explained. As a second necessity, he pointed out to actively work with the Bulgarians who are abroad, especially with the diasporas in Ukraine and Bessarabia. The third point is the attraction of migrants from third countries, Bardarov added. And he emphasized that it doesn't matter where people come from, the important thing is that they are educated and qualified and at an active age.
In addition to the migrant policy of the country, Bardarov also touches on the issue of the Roma in our country and the need for their integration.
No one wants to talk about it because the issue is very difficult and even politically bound, the expert pointed out.
There are about 800,000 Roma at the moment, they will be and will live in this territory, so if we don't start working with them today, tomorrow we will have problems, and not just unsolved, but unsolvable problems, said Bardarov.
He recalled that out of 800,000 Roma, 0.5 percent have higher education, and 9 percent on average. This means that over 90 percent of them have less than a high school education, in a world where computer literacy is required for even the most basic of jobs.
And he added that according to forecast data, in 2050, this group will be 1.1-1.2 million people out of the country's total population of about 5 million. If then the Roma have the same educational structure, it means 1 million people inactive on the labor market, Bardarov emphasized.
He himself worked on a project in Straldzha, which integrated Roma in school.
In one year, we achieved a real increase in school attendance by 40 percent of the children, Bardarov pointed out.
And he clarified that the project is not based on his know-how, but an adaptation of a foreign model. It is not a panacea, but it is important that there are working mechanisms, as well as communities among the Roma who are willing to integrate and educate themselves, the expert explained.
And he summarized that the most important thing is to work, and not to raise one's hands and only grumble that nothing is happening.
26.04.2023
HOW WE ARE RETURNED FEES IN CASE OF DELETED SENIOR SERVICE
Often, employees of the National Social Security Institute issue mandatory prescriptions for the deletion of insurance experience in the case of discovered violations and attempts at unjustified use of insurance rights. Therefore, we present the position of the National Revenue Agency on how in these cases a refund of paid taxes and insurance can be requested.
The National Social Security Institute issues a mandatory prescription for deleting the social security experience of a self-insured citizen (deletion of data submitted with declaration form No. 1), which was confirmed by a decision of the Supreme Administrative Court. The reason for this was violations discovered by the National Social Security Institute. The questions were asked:
By application of insurance legislation:
The control bodies of the National Social Security Institute issue mandatory prescriptions for compliance with the provisions of the state social insurance. On the basis of Art. 16 of Ordinance No. H-13 of December 17, 2019 on the content, terms, method and order of submission and storage of data by employers, insurers for persons insured by them, as well as self-insured (Ordinance No. H-13/17.12.2019) the control of compliance with the regulation is carried out by the National Revenue Agency and the National Social Security Institute.
Pursuant to Art. 9, Para. 5 of Regulation No. H-13/17.12.2019, declarations under Para. 1 (including declarations model No. 1) are not submitted for correction and deletion of data after April 30 of the year , following the year to which they relate. After this period, declarations are submitted only in electronic or paper form after the permission of the National Revenue Agency or the National Social Security Institute in connection with the activities assigned to them.
Article 4, paragraph 10, item 6 of Ordinance No. H-13/17.12.2019 states that the National Social Security Institute also submits data for those issued under Article 108, paragraph 1, item 3 of the Code for Social Security and mandatory prescriptions entered into force, when the prescriptions are for submitting data under Article 5, Paragraph 4, Item 1 of the Social Security Code, including after the deadline under Article 8, Paragraph 1, Item 4. The data under para. 10, item 6 shall be submitted electronically within three days from the entry into force of the prescription in accordance with the procedure determined by an instruction under art. 23 of the Law on the National Revenue Agency (art. 4, para. 14 of the Ordinance No. H-13/17.12.2019).
Therefore, after the entry into force of the mandatory prescriptions issued by the control bodies of the National Social Security Institute, the citizen can submit declarations model No. 1 for deletion of data.
On the basis of Article 9, paragraph 10 of Ordinance No. H-13/17.12.2019, declaration form No. 6 submitted by persons under Article 4, paragraph 3, items 2, 4 and 5 (including self-insured ), can be corrected until the deadline for its submission expires. After this period, declarations are submitted in paper form or in electronic form and paper form after the permission of the National Revenue Agency. Declaration form No. 6 is submitted with a correction code when the amount of a declared obligation is reduced. In this case, in addition to the corrected ones, all other data from the corresponding column of the previously submitted declaration are also filled in.
Self-insured persons determine the final amount of their monthly insurance income in accordance with Article 6, paragraph 9 of the Social Insurance Code - for the period during which work was carried out in the previous year based on the data declared in the Annual Tax Return Declaration under the Personal Income Tax Act, which cannot be less than the minimum insurable income and greater than the maximum insurable income. The annual insurance income is defined as the difference between the declared or established by the revenue authority under the conditions and according to the procedure of the Tax-Insurance Procedural Code taxable income from the exercise of labor activity and the sum of the incomes on which advance insurances have been paid.
When, with a corrective Annual Tax Declaration under Article 50 of the Personal Income Tax Act, the self-insured person declares taxable income in a smaller amount than the one already declared, he also fills in the Statement of the final amount of the insurance income in order to form a new annual Social Security income. If, after correction of the final amount of the insurance income, the insurance payable by a self-insured person is less than the sum of the declared with declaration form No. 6 and the advance and final insurance contributions paid by him, the difference appears to have been unreasonably paid. In this case, the self-insured person should submit a corrective declaration form No. 6 according to the order described above.
In order to submit corrective declarations form No. 6, with which to erase the formed obligations under the already submitted declarations form No. 6 for previous years, he should request permission from the National Revenue Agency.
The procedure for the refund of unduly paid amounts, subject to refund and collected by the National Revenue Agency, is regulated in art. 128-130 of the Tax-Insurance Procedural Code. Withholding and refunding can be done after submitting a request to the National Revenue Agency, to which supporting documents should be attached.
By application of tax legislation:
When making corrections to already filed annual tax returns under Article 50 of the Law on Personal Income Taxes, the procedure for corrections of Article 53, Paragraph 2 of the Law on Personal Income Taxes shall apply. On this basis, upon detection of an error in the declared data and circumstances, the basis and the determined obligations after the legally established period, the taxable persons have the right, once until September 30 of the year following the year of acquisition of the income, to make changes by submitting new declaration.
When this deadline is not met and a correction of a declaration for previous tax years is required, there is an opportunity for correction in accordance with Art. 103, para. 1 and 2 of the Tax-Insurance Procedural Code.
The person should make a request to the revenue authorities to allow a correction of an annual tax return and indicate the reasons for this.
Pursuant to Art. 103, in the event of inconsistencies between the content of the submitted declaration and the requirements for its completion or inconsistencies between the data in the declaration and the data received by the revenue authorities from third parties or administrations, in accordance with the requirements of the tax and insurance legislation for submitting declarations or information, except for the cases under Art. 101, para. 4 and Art. 102, para. 4, the sender is invited to remove the inconsistencies within 14 days of receiving the message. Inconsistencies are rectified by submitting a new declaration.
Given the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court, the citizen has the opportunity to request the correction of an annual tax return and a refund of the tax paid, provided that the statute of limitations has not expired.
The procedure for carrying out the withholding/reimbursement is described in Article 129, Paragraph 1 of the Tax-Insurance Procedural Code. The admissibility for its implementation is tied to a preclusion period, in which the request should be submitted. It is the same until the expiration of 5 years, starting from January 1 of the year following the year in which the reason for reimbursement arose, unless otherwise provided by law.
Regarding the merits of the request, the following should be considered:
The debtor's claims from the state are classified as private law, which is why the Law on Obligations and Contracts is applicable to them. Repayment of private law claims according to Article 110 of the Law on Obligations and Contracts takes place with the expiration of a 5-year statute of limitations.
The statute of limitations begins to run from the moment the claim became due and this is the entry into force of the judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court.
