The National Employment Plan in Bulgaria - Policies, Priorities and Necessary Changes Due to Covid-19

The paper comprises two interrelated parts and focuses on the analysis and study of the processes on the Bulgarian market, which unfold in the emergency situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemics. In the first part, an attempt is made for a systematic analysis of the current national employment plan, its priorities and the needed revisions thereof in the conditions of a critical situation

Covid-19 and the National Employment Plan in Bulgaria - Analysis and Opportunities for Change

This paper is the second part of an extensive study which analyzes and examines the processes on the Bulgarian market that unfold in the emergency situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemics. The focus is on the state of the labour market before the pandemic crisis and the subsequent changes in the current national employment plan in view of the challenges of the situation caused by COVID-19. It proposes measures and supports actions for restructuring the financial resource for adaptation of the plan to the new challenge to the labour market in Bulgaria

SOCIAL POLICIES ON LABOR MARKET AS THEORY AND PRACTICE IN BULGARIA

Current paper presents challenges to development of labor market and social policies in transition periods through the example the transition from planned to market economy in the Republic of Bulgaria.Some important implications are made about passive and active social programs as a whole and in particular about advantages and disadvantages of national social programs targeted to overcoming social marginalization. The specific example of the National program “From social support to employment” is discussed as a good practice in the attempts to conduct an active social policy addressing to some extent education and qualification problems and providing useful recommendations for future development of social policies in the country, organization and implementation of social programs and measures on different levels and assessments of their effectivess

Process of Deinstitutionalization of Children at Risk in Bulgaria

AbstractIn recent years in Bulgaria the type of institutional care for children at risk is changing giving priority to family and close to family environment. The will to implement this process of all involved responsible agencies, institutions and non-governmental organizations has found expression in a number of regulations, strategic and program documents, as well as innovative and successful practices. Economic, political and social changes that accompany the transition has led to new problems and exacerbated existing problems. Current study makes analyses of the national strategy for deinstitutionalization of children and concludes on important recommendations concerning national policy development. The policy should be based on the respect of child rights, norms, standards and principles of universality, indivisibility and nondiscrimination, while characterized by high sensitivity, flexibility and preparedness to meet the challenges. It is important and necessary to develop a policy that will not only offer appropriate care for children at risk in the short term, but will prevent similar problems in the future

A NEW VIEW ON SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF THE MILITARY, DISCHARGED FROM MILITARY SERVICE IN BULGARIA

This article reviews the social adaptation of the military as a social process. There is an overview of adaptation concepts adopted in science and practice. There is an attempt to classify the types of adaptation based on the nature of the interaction, the type of adaptive environments, adaptive environment structural components and based on the psychological content. Social adaptation process is presented in the following major stages: preparatory stage, stage of psychological tension before discharge; stage of acute mental reactions to entry into "civilian life"; stage of acute mental reactions to exit out of „military life” and stage of re-adaptation

COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSES MODELS IN THE DEFENCE SYSTEM IN BULGARIA

The thesis resulting from the research on the „costs - effects” relation is the principle of economic efficiency of defence capabilities. At first glance, the arguments in this direction are well-known and popular in crisis situations of various nature, including the current financial and economic crisis in the country, the question about the cost of public welfare - security and defence is debatable. This cost is manifested through the defence capabilities of a country. In the new security environment the compilation of a National Defence Strategy is a priority of the Defence Ministry, which has more and more limited resources. This means that they should be treated as an economic activity. An economic activity is considered "any purposeful activity, allocating and combining scarce resources among alternatives, making it possible to maximize the outcomes and minimize costs." The ratio between the costs and benefits of a given resource or combination of resources to achieve a pre -defined objective is pushed to the forefront and the rationalization of management decisions is based on it. This necessitates a cost effectiveness analysis hence the evaluation of the outcomes (benefits) is manifested in the „cost - effect (benefit)” analyses

COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSES MODELS IN THE DEFENCE SYSTEM IN BULGARIA

The thesis resulting from the research on the „costs - effects” relation is the principle of economic efficiency of defence capabilities. At first glance, the arguments in this direction are well-known and popular in crisis situations of various nature, including the current financial and economic crisis in the country, the question about the cost of public welfare - security and defence is debatable. This cost is manifested through the defence capabilities of a country. In the new security environment the compilation of a National Defence Strategy is a priority of the Defence Ministry, which has more and more limited resources. This means that they should be treated as an economic activity. An economic activity is considered "any purposeful activity, allocating and combining scarce resources among alternatives, making it possible to maximize the outcomes and minimize costs." The ratio between the costs and benefits of a given resource or combination of resources to achieve a pre -defined objective is pushed to the forefront and the rationalization of management decisions is based on it. This necessitates a cost effectiveness analysis hence the evaluation of the outcomes (benefits) is manifested in the „cost - effect (benefit)” analyses

Internal and External Challenges Facing Higher Education

The article addresses the challenges facing higher education, related to the demographic problems and the quality of process management. The free movement and the single education area are changing attitudes, especially those of young people and their choice where to receive education. The demographic crisis, migration and the lower quality of previous levels of education are further exacerbating the situation in higher education. The article argues that a change in the educational management is necessary in order to find solutions to deficits and to build a model of ‘engaged universities’ where the quality of education is maintained at a level consistent with socio-economic processes

A NEW VIEW ON SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF THE MILITARY, DISCHARGED FROM MILITARY SERVICE IN BULGARIA

This article reviews the social adaptation of the military as a social process. There is an overview of adaptation concepts adopted in science and practice. There is an attempt to classify the types of adaptation based on the nature of the interaction, the type of adaptive environments, adaptive environment structural components and based on the psychological content. Social adaptation process is presented in the following major stages: preparatory stage, stage of psychological tension before discharge; stage of acute mental reactions to entry into "civilian life"; stage of acute mental reactions to exit out of „military life” and stage of re-adaptation

Entrepreneurship in organic production – an incentive for sustainable rural development

The implementation of the strategic goals of economic, social and ecological development should start by entrepreneurship encouragement in rural areas for development of agrarian and related activities. The significance of protection of environmental components (soil, water, air, biodiversity, landscape) in global aspect directs the development towards sustainable agriculture, and organic production in particular, and its integration to other activities as tourism development. Current paper discusses entrepreneurship in organic production and trade as one of the main drivers of economic growth, productiveness and innovations in rural regions. Organic production is economically effective, ecologically compatible and socially responsible and it occurs to be an effective entrepreneurial strategy for rural development starting from urban areas demand and embracing not only food or other products but also places for rest, tourism, landscape preservation, protection of nature, culture, infrastructure development, etc., aiming at increase in competitiveness by applying an ecological technology using a new approach – planning, management and control over the production process