"Scientific research" Almanac

Nikolay Ninov
Efficiency of the Social Assistance System in Bulgaria through Planning the Use of European Funds
JEL: H53, I31, I32, I38

Keywords: social assistance, poverty, social benefits and services, financing, Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived

Summary: Within the social policy implemented to alleviate the worst forms of deprivation and combat poverty, targeting European Union citizens that are most affected by the socio-economic crisis, and through the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, the European Commission finalized the process of adoption of all national operational programmes for the period 2014-2020 amounting to a total value of 3.8 billion Euros. These funds will be spent on achieving social cohesion and implementing one of the main objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy � �Lifting at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty or social exclusion�. The Republic of Bulgaria received 104.8 million Euros to finance social benefits and social services aimed at promoting social inclusion, thereby the national social assistance system is expected to demonstrate greater effectiveness and efficiency in spending them
Vasil
TERRITORIAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE LIVING STANDARDS IN BULGARIAN REGIONS AND DISTRICTS (2010�2017)
JEL: C43, I31, I32, R11, R13.

Keywords: living standard, territorial differences, economic development, income and expenditures, income inequality, poverty.

Summary: The article reviews differences in the living standard at the level of regions and districts. Living standard is defined and assessed in terms of material living conditions by employing multiple indicators which are grouped in three modules (subject areas): economic development; income and consumption; income inequality and poverty. We employ relevant statistical indicators to measure differences and specific methodology to assess the living standard so that we could rank territorial units according to their distance from the best regional score. The findings of our empirical research of the living standard indicate that: (a) there is a slight trend towards a decrease in the differences between regions, while differences between districts remain the same; (b) there are significant changes in the arrangement of regions and districts according to their scores in the different years of the research; (c) divergent trends are identified in the development of territorial differences measured through the summary scores for the three modules; (d) the living standard has deteriorated in a significant number of the territorial units.

"Scientific research" Almanac

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