Urgent reform of Bulgaria's planning districts is needed, local authorities insist.The current regionalization shows increasing economic imbalances in terms of EU grant assistance. The problem is particularly severe in the Southwestern region, which includes Sofia city. According to the EU cohesion rules, when a region's GDP per capita reaches 100% of the EU average, the regions receive 30% co-financing for EU programs.
In the Southwestern region, due to Sofia's indicators, the coverage is 100%. Transitional regions, with a GDP between 75% and 100% of the EU average, receive 60% grant aid, while underdeveloped regions receive 85%. In Sofia city, the GDP per capita is close to 130% of the EU average, which affects the neighboring districts – Sofia District, Pernik, Kyustendil and Blagoevgrad, where the coverage is between 54% and 31%. The bundling of these districts with the capital city limits their access to EU funds.
As of October 1, the base interest rate in Bulgaria is 1.81%. The rate has been declining for the 12th consecutive month, this time by 0.01% compared to September 2025. The base interest rate in Bulgaria, which is used to calculate the annual..
Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone will reduce transaction costs with key trade and investment partners, according to the annual U.S. State Department report on the investment climate in the country, reported BGNES. The report emphasizes that..
Less than 100 days remain until Bulgaria joins the eurozone, and this is another reason to talk about the incomes of people in Bulgaria, about the Bulgarian economy, about foreign investments and about the domestic labour market which reacts the..
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