31.03.2023

IN APRIL 2023, AN ADAPTED WORKING ENVIRONMENT PROCEDURE IS ABOUT TO OPEN

Under the procedure of the Human Resources Development Program, with a budget of BGN 100 million, assistance will be provided to enterprises to deal with the new challenges related to the transition to a climate-neutral economy and changing work models. This requires rapid changes in the labor market and necessitates taking effective measures to improve access to employment in quality jobs and adapt to changes in the working environment.

Eligible applicants are companies registered under the Commercial Law. For micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the grant is 100%, and for large enterprises - 80%.

In addition to the purchase of personal protective equipment and special clothing and the repair and equipment of recreational facilities, eligible activities also include:

1. Development and implementation of "green" models of work organization according to the specifics of specific workplaces in enterprises. Preparation of "green" maps for the organization of work processes at the specific workplaces. Training of persons from the target group aimed at implementing "green" models of work organization. (this is a mandatory activity).
2. Provision of prevention and prevention of "burnout" in the workplace and "effects of the Covid pandemic on mental health" - psychological support.
3. Provision of collective safety measures, including modernization and/or reconstruction, and/or securing of existing sites, technological processes, machines and equipment related to improving working conditions.
4. Provision of social benefits for workers, including repair and equipment of places for recreation, rehabilitation, sports, meals and rest in enterprises, etc.

The following financial parameters of an individual project proposal are foreseen:

Minimum amount of the grant - BGN 50,000

Maximum amount – BGN 391,166.

30.03.2023

PROJECT SUPPORTS ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE PERSONS IN THE LABOR MARKET

Project BG05SFPR002-1.001-0002 "Starting Work" - Component 1 "Activation", financed under the Program "Development of Human Resources" 2021-2027.

Summary

The aim of the project is to provide measures related to the labor market integration of inactive persons with an emphasis on disadvantaged persons.

The project is implemented until 31.12.2026.

The target group of the project are economically inactive persons between the ages of 16 and 65 who are not insured under Art. 4 and 4a and are not insurers under Art. 5 of the Social Security Code, are not registered as jobseekers under the Employment Promotion Act and are not in formal education or training. Up to 4 weeks before being included in the project, the individuals should meet the same requirements and conditions specified in the definition of "inactive". According to the age distinction of Priorities 1 and 3 of the Program "Development of Human Resources" 2021 - 2027, under Priority 1 eligible inactive persons who are over 29 years old, while under Priority 3 eligible inactive persons who are aged up to 29 years incl. The age of the participants is calculated from the date of birth and is determined from the date of inclusion in project activities.

The indicators of the project are 56 thousand inactive persons, of which 28 thousand will be activated and, upon leaving the operation, will have started looking for work.

The project activities are:

1. Application of innovative approaches and activities to identify, inform and motivate economically inactive persons for active behavior on the labor market - Within the activity, activators will be appointed who will establish contact with the inactive persons. The activity will be assisted by employees of the Employment Agency, included in the staff schedule. It is planned to update the existing methods for identifying and activating inactive persons.
2. Training of "activators" from the local communities, preparation for work with the target group - The purpose of this activity is to reach inactive persons through activators from the local communities, as well as through the employees of the Employment Agency, performing activities under the project. The trainings will be tailored to the specifics of the various groups of inactive persons - non-working, non-learning young people; persons from ethnic minorities; caregivers; older persons of working age (55 - 65 years), etc. After the training, supervision will take place, which will be piloted through the current project. Supervision is an innovative method for the Employment Agency to monitor results, motivate and set goals in the process of implementing activities
3. Organizing events, campaigns, including on social networks - The goal is to reach a larger number of the inactive population in the country, including the youth. The purpose of these events and campaigns is to present opportunities that inactive individuals can take advantage of to be active in their fulfillment. During the events and campaigns present, the Employment Agency will set aside places where individuals will have the opportunity to further familiarize themselves with the services provided by the Agency, the opportunities for inclusion in training and/or employment, as well as to register together with employees of Employment Agency.
4. Formation of mobile teams with the aim of informing, activating and establishing connections with inactive persons - The purpose of the activity is to ensure reaching inactive persons through mobile teams that will visit remote from the territorial divisions of the Employment Agency and hard-to-reach settlements and neighborhoods in order to reach the maximum number of inactive persons. This will allow persons who do not have the opportunity to go to the territorial branches of the Employment Agency, to be registered as unemployed and have a subsequent opportunity to benefit from the Agency's services.
5. Approving services for complex support - creation of centers/clubs for activation - Within the framework of the activity, it is planned to create centers/clubs for activation, which will be located outside the territorial structures of the Employment Agency, but will be administratively and information related to them. In the newly created centers/clubs, inactive persons will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the full range of services offered by the Employment Agency. It is also assumed that the employees in the centers/clubs motivate the persons for active behavior in the labor market by registering at the labor office and using services for integration into employment, information, counseling, group events, referral to vacant jobs, trainings, validation of professional skills and qualifications. It is planned to organize events and campaigns in the created centers and clubs with the aim of reaching a larger number of persons from the target group and with the aim of avoiding the institutional appearance of the services offered by the Employment Agency.
6. Conducting "Job Search Workshops" - Conducting Job Search Workshops, through which inactive persons activated by the project will be offered the opportunity to self-assess their personal qualities and improve their job search skills and successful presentation to employers. During the Job Search Workshop, individual profiling of inactive persons' capabilities will be carried out for the purpose of professional orientation and/or referral to suitable jobs, incl. on employment and/or training measures/programs. Under the project, individuals will be employed as moderator-studio, who will monitor, guide and support each participant individually and as a group.
7. Organization of job fairs - Within the framework of the activity, job fairs will be organized to promote the activity of the representatives of the target group. It will support the employment of inactive persons, facilitate their access to information about job vacancies and ensure direct contact and the possibility to negotiate with employers.
8. Referral to appropriate training measures, education/validation, employment tailored to the individual profile of the persons - The employment agencies of the Employment Agency will refer the persons from the target group to vacancies through subsidized employment or job positions on the primary market of work, towards validation, subsequent training for the acquisition of a professional qualification and/or for the acquisition of key competences.

29.03.2023

WHO CAN GO TO A SANATORIUM WITH MONEY FROM NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY INSTITUTE

From March 28 of this year, the implementation of the Prevention and Rehabilitation Program for 2023 began, contracts have been signed with 25 legal entities for a total of 52 establishments, executors of the program.

The program for one person lasts 10 days, and the cost of overnight stays and partial food assistance in the amount of BGN 8.00 for each day of the stay is covered by the funds of the State Social Insurance. Each person, at the expense of the State Social Insurance budget, has the right to use for only one disease up to four basic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures per day.

Insured persons are entitled to financial assistance for prevention and rehabilitation for general illness, maternity and/or occupational accident and occupational disease. For them, insurance contributions must have been paid or due for six consecutive calendar months preceding the month in which the rehabilitation takes place.

Persons who receive a personal disability pension are also entitled to financial assistance. The condition for them is that they have not reached the age for acquiring the right to a pension for insurance service and age, that the term of disability in their expert decision has not expired and that the attending physician has determined the need for rehabilitation during the period of use of the financial assistance.

You can find detailed information about the terms of use of the program, the performers of the activity, the necessary documents and the diseases for which prevention and rehabilitation are carried out in the section "Physical persons"/"Benefits and benefits under Bulgarian legislation"/"Cash benefits for prevention and rehabilitation" on the website of the National Social Security Institute.

29.03.2023

A COMPETITION MAY HAVE FOR DIFFERENT POSITIONS UNDER THE LABOR CODE

The Labor Code definitely provides for the possibility of appointment under an employment contract and through a competitive procedure. To put it another way - the competition is not only just under the Civil Servant Act.

The Labor Code states that a competition can be held for occupation of any position except for a position for which it is intended to be held on the basis of choice. In practice, this means that there can be a competition for any place. There is an exception only for electorals - mayors, governing bodies of universities, parties and more. It is necessary to point out that the positions to be held in a competition shall be determined by law, in an act of the Council of Ministers, by a minister or head of another agency or by the employer. The positions, defined as competition, are occupied only on the basis of a competition. Until the competition, the post can be undertaken by a fixed -term employment contract until it is occupied on the basis of a competition, the Labor Code also determines.

There is another exception - the rules for the Labor Code competition do not apply to competitions for occupation of academic positions.

According to the Labor Code, the competition notice must contain several mandatory elements. Among them are the name of the enterprise, the place and nature of the job and the requirements for the position, the manner of conducting the competition. In addition, the necessary documents, the place and the deadline for submission, which may not be less than 1 month, must be indicated. The characteristic of the competitive position is provided in advance to the candidates to get acquainted with it, the code also orders.

The rule is important that the consent of the employer with whom the applicant works is not required to participate in a competition. Moreover, the applicant is entitled to unpaid leave for the days of participation in the competition and up to 2 days for travel, when the competition is held in another settlement. This leave is recognized as work experience.

This comes to the issue of admission or non-admission to the competition. The applicants' admission is carried out by a committee appointed by the employer. The underlying candidates shall be reported in writing the refusal. Within 7 days of the communication, they may object to the employer, who has announced the competition, which, within 3 days of receipt of the objection, resolves the issue definitively. The admitted candidates, on the other hand, shall be communicated in writing the date, the time of the commencement and the place for conducting the competition.

The competition is conducted by a committee appointed by the employer. It includes appropriate specialists. The Labor Code determines that the competition committee must hold the competition in the announced manner. The committee must evaluate the professional training and other qualities of the candidates necessary for the position and ranked only the successful competitions. A protocol is drawn up for the competition. The result of the competition is notified to the persons involved in it within 3 days of its conduct.

The Labor Code orders that the employment relationship arises with the person ranked first from the day on which the result was received. The person concerned is obliged to go to work within 2 weeks of receipt of the notification. For good reasons, this period is up to 3 months. If the person does not go to work within these deadlines, then the employment relationship is considered to be non -incorporated. In this case, the employment relationship arises with the next participant in the competition, which is notified in writing.

29.03.2023

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF EURO-FUNDING IN THE NORTH-WEST?

The Bulgarian Telegraph Agency organizes three local regional conferences dedicated to the future of the North-West region, in the three regional centers - Vidin, Montana and Vratsa. The participants in the discussions focused on the degree of convergence and what was achieved in the previous period under the operational programs, future challenges and changes in the current program period.

The Municipality of Vidin makes the most of the programs of the European Union (EU), said the Deputy Mayor of Vidin Desislava Todorova:

"The projects that we can distinguish as successfully completed are: "Repair and modernization of the educational infrastructure", "Rehabilitation and repair of the central pedestrian area", "Completion of the waste water treatment plant". Projects that we are currently implementing, under the Operational Program "Environment", our fellow citizens directly feel the benefits of the EU in their homes - over 4,000 households will benefit from the opportunity to replace their wood and coal appliances with environmentally friendly ones; under the "Regions in Growth" Operational Program, this year we will complete the construction of 37 social housing units, introduce energy efficiency measures in 13 blocks, introduce energy efficiency measures in the Vidin Municipality administrative building, and complete another part of the repair of the central pedestrian zone. We are preparing as hard as possible for the new program period. Let's take advantage of all the opportunities that the Recovery and Resilience Plan gives us, and we also look forward to the Regional Development Program announcing its terms. We are actively working on the Operational Program "Development of Human Resources". We are also preparing hard for the cross-border cooperation programs, where we have established very good partnerships with organizations from Romania, and there we already have a ready investment project for our Danube park. Citizens are already making the most of and seeing the results of our EU membership."

The mayor of Belogradchik Boris Nikolov is more skeptical of the effects of the absorption of European funds in the region:

"We have been in the EU for 15-16 years, we were expecting rapprochement - the desolate cohesion. Cohesion requires complete social rapprochement of our population, of our country with the developed European world. Does this happen? Yes, we are absorbing billions from Europe, but is this the most efficient use of this money? Hundreds of millions have been invested in the Vidin region, but does our population live better? Statistics are the most impartial and show migration, which means that our population is not satisfied with this cohesion. Yes, we also invested millions of BGN in the municipality of Belogradchik, we achieved many material results in all areas. There is no operating program that we do not use in the most effective way. Our biggest pride is the renovation - we don't have a state or municipal building that hasn't been renovated. We have also rehabilitated about 1000 apartments, now we are starting with the smaller residential buildings to use these opportunities as well. But I think that we use the funds from the European funds insufficiently effectively. The only thing that directly benefits our population is sanitation. Each household received a serious premium of BGN 500 per season. Hopefully the coefficient of useful action will be much higher, because in Bulgaria we are tired of strategies, plans and whatnot without having the effects we expect."

The largest amount of funds in the Vidin region during the past program period was attracted under the Operational Program "Environment" - nearly BGN 62 million. Operational program "Development of human resources" has reached 18,000 people in the Vidin region, which is every fourth person in the region. BGN 181 million from the cohesion policy is planned for the Vidin region, and for the new program period 50 percent of the financing from the European funds is planned for Northern Bulgaria. In terms of regional connectivity and mobility, it became clear that the new Vidin-Medkovets railway section is expected to be ready in 2027. This was assured by Albena Traikova, head of the Vidin-Sofia project, from the National Railway Infrastructure Company.

A local conference "Europe in Bulgaria: Common Future" organized by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency was also held in Vratsa. In front of the forum participants, Vratsa Mayor Kalin Kamenov recalled the image of Northwest Bulgaria as the poorest region in Europe and emphasized that the goal of the local authorities is to change this trend:

"The general picture shows that for the last few years, in the last program period, we have implemented 81 projects worth nearly BGN 270 million in Vratsa. The effect of this is several key, important, general projects that actually change the picture from a negative to a positive trend in terms of population, employment and unemployment. The very fact that currently unemployment in Vratsa, even in the winter period, is within about 3%, shows an extremely good trend in terms of employment. The second positive trend is in terms of population growth. The latest data from the National Statistical Institute show an increase of 12,000 inhabitants over the last 7 years. These are the years when the key big projects are implemented. The third trend is that for four years in a row Vratsa has not exceeded the levels of fine dust particles. Within the framework of the new program period, we are also preparing a new large project for the replacement of the heating installations, so that there are no more views of houses from which smoke from coal or wood comes out and to further improve the condition of the atmospheric air in Vratsa. For the new program period, we have prepared projects for over 130 million BGN. The overall goal is for our city to be green, clean and economically developed. We have pledged funds for the creation of new industrial zones, despite the fact that in Vratsa there is active work on new factories that are already operating. Even today we signed a contract for another one, which is starting to be built in Vratsa. I am convinced that the municipality of Vratsa will be an attractive center for work for many residents of the region. There are already many people from neighboring areas who travel and work in Vratsa. With the future projects that we are starting in the new program period, we will be able to show the citizens that the projects are not done simply to realize funds, but to have an effect for the citizens."

The problems we encounter when applying for projects are problems of small municipalities, said Violeta Nikiforova, chief legal advisor of the Municipality of Mizia. According to her, the main problem is the lack of funds for design, which small municipalities cannot allocate:

"Since there is no stability in the country at the moment, we are not clear what the right directions will be, what we can orient ourselves towards as a small municipality, for which the projects that will be applied for are worthwhile and for which funds are not spent without to have clarity. The lack of government, of clarity regarding the future procedures that will be opened creates obstacles for small municipalities like Mizia, because we do not have funds in the budget to set aside for design."

The Vratsa region, as part of the North-West planning region, is in first place in terms of the total value of the implemented projects during the past program period from 2014 until now, which amounts to over BGN 562 million.

Conference "Europe in Bulgaria: Common Future", organized by BTA, also took place at the Youth Center in Montana. "Our administration implements projects in many areas and people see the results," Tihomir Antonov, Deputy Mayor of Montana Municipality, told the participants in the discussion.

"Montana currently manages projects worth about BGN 13 million, which are divided into several operational programs. The largest number of projects are under the Operational Program "Development of Human Resources". The next largest program is "Regional Development". For the last 8 years, the municipality has implemented four large projects in this area, which have a total value of about BGN 19.2 million. The largest program as a financial resource is the environmental protection program. There, the Municipality is currently working on two large projects, which will last until 2024. In parallel, the Municipality is very active in cross-border cooperation programs. What do we envision doing in the next 3 to 5 years? Given that the new EU programs are not yet open for Bulgaria, and the Recovery and Resillence Plan is partially open, we are currently applying for the rehabilitation of the Youth Home building, with an approximate value of about BGN 2 million, and we will apply for renovation of the "Mladost" hall, which is the largest sports hall in Montana, also worth about BGN 2 million. The implementation of a project to improve street lighting in the city for about BGN 1 million is pending. We expect the Bulgaria-Serbia and Bulgaria-Romania cross-border cooperation programs to be opened very soon, where we have negotiations with our partners regarding projects in the field of disasters and accidents, culture, renewable energy sources, biodiversity, etc."

Over 340 million BGN euro funds were attracted in the Montana region during the past program period.

The Northwest is performing well under the Recovery and Resillence Plan – 58 projects for 18 million BGN have already been approved, Vratsa is the champion, stated the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev at a forum in the city. A measure for the development of industrial zones and parks in Bulgaria is expected to be opened in April. The minimum grant amount for a project is BGN 3 million, and the maximum is BGN 40 million.

28.03.2023

NEW SERVICE INSTEAD OF BANK TRANSFERS: TRANSFERS TO CARDS

Sending money to bank cards is now also available for Bulgarians. The service is new to our market – it was launched earlier this year and is about to gain a lot of popularity, analysts say.

Transfers to cards of individuals are significantly different from alternative ways of sending money - bank and p2p transfers for example. They are defined as the next stage in the evolution of everyday payments that we have witnessed in recent years.

Transferring funds between users is becoming faster and easier. It no longer matters whether the sender and receiver of the transfer are customers of the same bank or mobile application. It doesn't even matter if the two are from the same country. There are only two conditions for a transfer to a card: the recipient must have a Visa payment card issued in the European Economic Area, and the sender must enter its number in the iCard digital wallet.

Most often, users choose this type of payment when they want the transfer to arrive quickly - in seconds. Another advantage is that the transfer can be sent at any time of the day, every day, from anywhere in the world, i.e. there are no restrictions related to the working hours of the banks. The availability of the iCard service for the entire European Economic Area, and not only for Bulgaria, is undoubtedly convenient.

Instant transfers to a card are performed after a few taps on the phone screen. They are preferred when splitting bills in restaurants, paying off debts (including credit cards), sending transfers to relatives and friends, etc.

Money transfer to any Visa debit, credit or prepaid card in Europe is possible thanks to the cooperation between iCard and Visa.

28.03.2023

THE MOST IN-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS FOR FEBRUARY IN THE NORTHWEST ARE TAILORS AND IRONERS

A smooth increase in the number of people who started work in February is reported by the administrative statistics of the "Regional Employment Service" Directorate of Montana. In the second month of the year, their number was 1175 - 187 more than in January 2023. 49 pensioners, students and employed persons also found work through the employment offices. The largest share of those who started work is in the public administration sector - 31.1%, in processing industry - 12.5%, followed by those in trade - 10.7%, human health care - 9.6%, hotels and restaurants - 4.3%, construction - 3.5%, agriculture, forestry and fishing - 3.2% and others.

In February, 325 unemployed people from the risk groups were appointed to subsidized jobs - 8 under employment programs and measures and 317 - under schemes of the Operational Program "Development of Human Resources". One unemployed person is involved in training to acquire a new profession and key competence, and 1 person completed the training started in previous months, having acquired a new profession.

In the month of February, the "Regional Employment Service" Directorate of Montana reports 16,301 registered unemployed, which is 353 persons or 2.1% less than in January. With this figure, the level of registered unemployment in February was 12.0%, which is 0.9 points lower than in February 2022.

The number of newly registered unemployed in February also decreased by 282 compared to January 2023. According to the reported data, they are 1477 persons, which is a decrease of 121 persons on an annual basis. Another 55 people from the groups of jobseekers employed, students and pensioners also registered with the employment offices during the month. In February, the labor mediators - Roma and youth mediators - managed to activate a little over 170 inactive persons for registration at the labor offices.

During the month, 692 vacancies on the primary market were declared in the labor offices, which is an increase of 22.3 percent compared to February 2022. The most vacancies in the real economy were declared in the state administration (30.6%), processing industry (28.5%), followed by trade (6.6%), agriculture and forestry (6.4%), education (6.4%), construction (5.5%), hotel and restaurant industry (4.3%).

The most sought-after professions for the month are: tailors and ironers; installers; nurses; sales consultants; doctors; laboratory workers; accountants; machine operators; social workers; laborers; drivers; personal assistants; packers, etc.

27.03.2023

UNEMPLOYMENT IN FEBRUARY WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE

A smooth increase in the number of people who started work in February reports the administrative statistics of the Employment Agency.

In the second month of the year, their number was 13,196 – 1,159 more than in January 2023. 320 pensioners, students and employed persons also found work through the labor offices.

The largest share of those who started working in the processing industry sector is 20.8%, followed by those in trade 12.9%, public administration 12.0%, hotels and restaurants 8.9%, human health care and social work 5, 4%, agriculture, forestry and fisheries 5.0% and others.

In February, 1,653 unemployed people from the risk groups were assigned to subsidized jobs during the month, 69 of which were under employment programs and measures, and 1,584 were under schemes of the Human Resources Development Operational Program. 191 unemployed and employed are included in various trainings, and 144 people have completed the training started in previous months and acquired a new profession or key competence.

In February, the Employment Agency reported 155,528 registered unemployed, which is 2,452 persons or 1.6% less than in January. With this number, the registered unemployment rate in February was 5.5%, which is 0.15 percentage points lower than in February 2022.

The number of newly registered unemployed in February also decreased by 5,550 compared to January 2023. According to the reported data, they were 18,198 persons, which is a decrease of 1,209 persons on an annual basis. Another 587 people from the groups of jobseekers employed, students and pensioners also registered with the employment offices during the month. In February, the labor mediators - Roma and youth mediators - managed to activate just over 1,500 inactive persons for registration at the labor offices.

During the month, 11,519 vacancies were reported in the labor offices on the primary market, which is a decrease of 11.9% compared to February 2022.

The largest number of vacancies in the real economy are reported in the manufacturing industry (27.2%), followed by the hotel and restaurant industry (14.7%), public administration (13.1%), trade (10.1%), agriculture, forestry and fisheries (6.2%) and administrative and auxiliary activities (5.8%).

The most sought-after occupations by businesses in February are: personnel employed in the field of personal services; staff caring for people; machine operators of stationary machinery and equipment; drivers of motor vehicles and mobile equipment; skilled workers in the production of food, clothing, wood products and related; sellers; workers in the mining and processing industries, construction and transport; metallurgists, machine builders and related workers and artisans; waste collection and related workers; installers, etc.

24.03.2023

WITH A NATIONAL INFORMATION CAMPAIGN "TO WORK (IS) GREAT!" AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY ADDRESSES THOSE INACTIVE ON THE LABOR MARKET

With a series of events united under the slogan "TO WORK (IS) GREAT!", the Employment Agency launched a national information campaign to popularize the possibilities of the project "Starting a job" - Component 1 "Activation", financed under the Program "Development of Human Resources" 2021-2027.

The meetings organized throughout the country will aim to motivate economically inactive persons, regardless of their age, for active behavior in the labor market.

Within the project activities, the Agency's experts will look for non-standard approaches to reach potential participants. The events will be aimed at stimulating job search activity and at informing about the various opportunities for support for employment. Thus, people who are not working and not in training will be able to familiarize themselves with the current job positions in their regions, as well as with the opportunities for vocational training or the acquisition of key skills. On the threshold of starting spring-summer seasonal activities in tourism, construction, agriculture, etc., they will be informed how to engage in short-term or seasonal work. In addition, the project participants will be provided with information about the services offered by the Employment Agency to promote mobility when looking for and starting a job, stimulating entrepreneurship and many others.

The organizers of the campaign will seek contact with employers offering vacant positions and also with representatives of local communities who have public authority and can be motivators for their fellow citizens.

Thus, the national information campaign "TO WORK (IS) GREAT!" continues the actions of the Employment Agency, aimed both at economically inactive persons in the country and at businesses looking for new personnel.

As part of the initiative, all labor offices in the country will hold meetings in March. The schedule of events can be found here, and if interested, additional information will be provided on the spot - in the territorial divisions of the Employment Agency.

23.03.2023

5,000 CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE VOUCHERS FOR HEALTHY FOOD UNDER THE PROJECT OF THE SOCIAL ASSISTANCE AGENCY

The Social Assistance Agency, in its capacity as the Managing Authority of the Program for Food and Basic Material Assistance, approved the project proposal for providing vouchers for children's kitchen. 53 municipalities and regions of municipalities have expressed interest in partnership under the "Children's Kitchen" procedure. The planned budget is BGN 7.15 million.

The aim of the measure is to ensure healthy and wholesome nutrition for children from 10 months to 3 years, supplemented with specific accompanying support for social inclusion and overcoming the consequences of poverty. It is expected that by November 30, 2025, thanks to the children's kitchen vouchers provided, at least 5,000 children from 10 months to 3 years will receive a varied and healthy meal that their families could not provide them due to their difficult situation are located. Vouchers will be provided for the children, against which they will receive a lunch meal including soup, main course and dessert.

In order to minimize the risk of children being abandoned and to provide conditions for adequate early childhood development of the supported, it is planned that their parents will be covered by accompanying measures. They are aimed at increasing their parental capacity, providing additional social and health services according to the individual needs of children and families, as well as for a permanent exit from poverty through inclusion in employment, training and qualification.