Search

The goal of this article is to recount the birth and development of midwifery and maternal care education in Bulgaria after the Bulgarian Liberation at the end of XIX and the beginning of the XX century. The researchers set the following tasks: 1) to present the main reasons for the emergence of professional midwifery education in post-Liberation Bulgaria; 2) to show the place and role of the first professionally trained midwives in Bulgaria; 3) to outline the seminal work of notable personalities for the development of professional midwifery care. Historical method was used, secondary historical sources, documents and scientific papers were reviewed. Conclusions: Professional midwifery education helped the introduction and spread of modern Obstetrics/Gynecology medicine, which lead to decrease in maternal and infant mortality and slowly improved quality of life for Bulgarian women and children. Bulgarian nationals educated abroad brought to the country the scientific foundation and best practices in maternal health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The National Sports Academy "V. Levski" in Bulgaria is a leading educational and scientific institution in Europe for producing specialised personel in the field of Wellness & Spa tourism. The majority of graduates students (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree) immediately find high-paying jobs abroad and leave the country. Methods: This paper aims to discuss and analyse the ongoing brain drain in the Bulgarian Wellness & Spa tourism industry. The study examines changes in values and beliefs that have significant impacts on employment, labor, and human behavior. Results: The high salaries offered to specialized personnel in the field of Wellness & Spa tourism has resulted in an annual brain drain to countries such as Europe, the USA, and the Emirates. Despite historical traditions, Bulgarian Wellness & Spa businesses are struggling due to the shortage of well-trained personnel. Discussion: This paper discusses changes in lifestyle and the underlying causes for the permanent shortage of qualified employees in the Wellness & Spa tourism industry. The negative economic impact of brain drain on Bulgaria as a tourist destination is also emphasised. Conclusion: The brain drain in the Bulgarian Wellness & Spa tourism industry is affecting operational, managerial, and scientific staff. It is essential to implement policy changes to safeguard the sector. These policies should aim to attract and retain specialized personnel, as well as offer competitive salaries and benefits. Failure to address brain drain could lead to long-term negative impacts on the Bulgarian economy and the country's Wellness & Spa industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is an important sector in Bulgaria, especially in the rural areas where it is considered an important source of income and employment. Bulgarian agriculture has changed substantially over the past ten years, which has led to a transformation in production, farm, organizational and sectorial structures. The aim of the paper is to observe the regional differences in Bulgarian farm structure and outline main prospects for the next programming period, 2023-2027. The survey reveals a significant decline in the number of holdings in parallel with the decreased role of small farms. By contrast, the importance of large holdings is increasing. There are different patterns of agricultural transformation in the regions of Bulgaria. While large extensive producers dominate North Bulgaria, there is more balanced agricultural development in the South part of the country. The new CAP 2023-2027 is directed to more ambitious objectives related to climate, innovations and convergence. The subsidiarity principles could help Bulgaria to overcome some of these challenges if the agricultural policy is better targeted and oriented towards intensive sectors and more balanced and sustainable rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of sustainable agriculture is widely used to develop international and national policies for the sector. The European Green Deal, which promotes stable food supply, guarantees revenues for farmers and green living environment. Overcoming rural deprivation is usually the central topic of its implementation. The path to sustainable agriculture requires a holistic approach, considering the complexity of social, economic, cultural, technical, and environmental aspects. In this paper we explore the main preconditions to sustainable development of the agricultural sector in Bulgaria based on select indicators, structured in three main groups: economic, social and environmental. We prioritize certain critical challenges, matching them with appropriate interventions with a great potential for impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural and climatic conditions in Bulgaria are a prerequisite for the cultivation of quality fruits with unique taste characteristics, but after the country's accession to the EU, there is a permanent tendency to decrease the areas on which fruit crops are grown. The consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in developed and developing countries is far below the recommended norms, and yet production in the country cannot satisfy the needs of the population with fresh fruits and the canning industry with raw materials. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of the fruit market in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the sources for the formation of Bulgaria's food resources is the production of food products from agriculture and the food industry. It provides raw materials for the processing industry, for export and for meeting the food needs of society. The extent to which national production can meet these needs in terms of quantity, quality and range largely determines national food security. The level and structure of food consumption is in turn important for the health status of both the individual and the nation as a whole. In recent years, the production and consumption of food products in the country have been evolving in a complex and dynamically changing environment, linked to challenges posed by overlapping crises (pandemic, economic). The aim of this paper is to examine the production and consumption of staple food products in the context of national food security and in the context of crises. For its realization, changes in the parameters of their production and consumption are consistently assessed, problems are highlighted on this basis and recommendations for their future development are substantiated. Special attention is paid to the competitiveness and sustainable development of Bulgarian agriculture as an important prerequisite for the country's food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of decentralization is currently of great importance in Bulgaria. It is related to a number of reforms in local self-government, which require broad public consent. This consent should be derived or obtained after conducting a large-scale information campaign to acquaint the Bulgarian public with the administrative, political and financial framework of the local government. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the awareness of the local community on some key topics in the area of municipal revenue. The main method used is the survey method. The obtained results show that the local community has not reached this level of awareness, which would provide a solid basis for civil participation in the local self-government reform process. The conclusion to be drawn is that the state authority must conduct large-scale information campaigns and organize discussions on the issues of decentralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over time, nursing practice has emerged as an independent profession based on theoretical knowledge, practical experience, and scientific justification. The professional duty of medical specialists corresponds to the rights of the patient. To be professionally responsible means to make decisions about what is good or bad, right or wrong, taking into account the final result of the actions - the greatest benefit to the patient. PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to examine the ethical aspects of professional duty in the nursing profession by analyzing international and national codes of ethics. METHODS: In order to achieve this goal, we have used general and private science methods and approaches, including documentary method, analysis and synthesis, comparative method. RESULTS: Various nursing codes of ethics were reviewed. The Nightingale Pledge, The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses, The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, The Code of Professional ethics for Nurses, Midwives and Associated Medical Specialists in the Republic of Bulgaria, Guidance for good medical practice. The codes were analyzed in a comparative aspect in terms of volume, content, and practical orientation. CONCLUSION: Codes of ethics are meaningless without professionals who are motivated to act morally in every situation containing ethical issue. Nursing students must understand their role as responsible future professionals and be familiar with the content of the Ethical code and the Guidance of good medical practice. The implementation of the ethical norms is controlled by specially formed bodies of the professional organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial revolution and economic activity have led humanity to unprecedented success in the production and development of technology, but also to a super-consumer society that has managed to consume more of the earth's resources than it is possible to reproduce on its own. We, humans, have changed the earth, the climate, and destroyed species faster than any other species. Bioeconomy is perceived as the innovative answer to the needed fundamental transformation of the production systems to overcome the present lock-in situation. In the recent years the European Union has given unappealable support to greening the economy across the Community. Policies, strategies, financial mechanisms are introducing the green practices and business models in key sectors and economies. A new era of economic revolution follows, in which Bulgaria also needs to take its role. The present paper tackles the emerging challenges and progress in moving towards the sustainability, which requires a fundamental shift in industry, education and science, institutions, and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, companies are facing more and more types of risks with different levels of complexity. Inevitably this reflects also on the way how the risk is identified, evaluated and managed. One of the innovative risk management solutions is the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence will create a foundation for more resilient, sustainable, adaptive, and well-prepared companies which could face environmental changes without being impacted so heavily. The purpose of the study described in this paper is to conduct empirical research to examine the progress of intelligent risk management implementation and the attitude towards it in companies from two sectors of the Bulgarian economy - services and gas. The two sectors will be compared and it will be statistically validated if there is a difference in how the companies from the gas and services sectors see the artificial intelligence and its benefits. Based on the results, at the end, a proposal for improved and innovative risk management will be made. The results of the survey and the empirical study will show what will be the future direction of the research in the field of artificial intelligence and its implementation in risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the growth of the Industry 4.0 transformation the economy has become to changed. Thus, not just the economy regulations are fostered but a new business approach has been arisen: the circular / regenerative economy approach. The EC already reacted as it introduced not just updated Sustainable development indices but a new set of indices: circular economy indices. According to this change of the economic model, the business organizations are fostered to change their business models, especially for the industry. Thus, not just the new regulations have to be introduced to the industrial business model but the total change of the added value of the business as introduction of green technologies or innovations for non-waste production value chains. Aim of the paper: to identify and to analyze the requirements to the business that foster them to change their linear business model to circular one. Methods: descriptive analysis of the Bulgarian economy according to circular economy indices; comparative analyses for identification of main differences between linear and circular economies; induction and deduction of the elements of business models. Results: analysis of the indices of circularity of the Bulgarian economy; analysis of requirements for transition from linear to circular economy; identifying requirements to the business model of a circular economy; systematizing rules / guidelines for transforming the business model of a linear economy into the business model of a circular economy. Conclusions: The indicators of the circular economy can be considered as a part of the harmonization process in the EU. Avoiding from the responsibilities of the circular economy approach by Bulgarian industry leads to moving away from the EU economies. This requires relevant national policies, measures and instruments to promote the transformation of the business model to circular one. The paper aims to present the need of industrial business model change as to analyze the starting position of the Bulgarian industry. Thus, the structure of the paper is following: 1. Introduction to Circular economy indices. 2. Definition of Circular economy approach. 3. Analysis of the Circular economy indices change for Bulgaria. 4. Introduction to business model change from linear to circular one. Conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the share of healthcare services offered in Bulgaria is comparatively smaller than that in the European Union member states, however, the Bulgarian healthcare sector continues to be on the route towards the establishment of the new healthcare system. The leading activities in the sector are the provision of comprehensive healthcare services - improvement of health and disease prevention, outpatient medical assistance, hospital medical assistance (treatment, surgery and post-surgery services). The provision of well-structured and correctly organised business processes, as well as their management are basic economic problems with increasing significance for the management of the healthcare sector. The review of numerous literature sources, useful practices and statistical data shows that there are gaps in the methods pertaining to the issues related to the methods of perfecting the management of business processes within medical institutions. The main objective of this paper is: To present the current state of the management of processes crucial for the healthcare institution and also to prove the usefulness of software tools for perfecting business processes in order to improve their management. Based on this, proposals may be made in order to improve the management of business processes within the healthcare institution. The subject of this paper is the Urology Clinic as part of the management structure of a University Hospital. The data are analysed both in summary and in groups to which comparative analysis is applied. Together with the analysis performed on the study results, comparative analysis is also applied to the results provided prior to the introduction of the Balanced Scorecard (BSc)1 by the healthcare institution. The comparative analysis is used to find relationships which characterise the applicability of adapted methodology for perfecting the management of business processes through the Balanced Scorecard for the efficiency within the healthcare institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this study is to introduce level and trends of development in Bulgarian beef cattle. Current paperwork is based on research among members of bull breeding association in Bulgaria during 2019, public data from 2007 to 2020 and own observation based on meeting farmers. In needs for analyzes are used statistic and marketing methods. The results include structure of cattle herds, farm size, diffusion in territory of the country, meat produce, prices and suggestions of development by farmers. The paper presents some specifics in marketing of beef cattle and characteristics of their meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first-of-its-kind University of Plovdiv transdisciplinary project "Vita Plus" is deemed to adopt some positive international practices to initiate and announce that there are researchers at the University of Plovdiv, interested in realizing tech transfers in the field of biotech innovations. Thus, the goal of the present paper is to explain what factors might be crucial to both characterize technological transfer of biotech innovations as successful from University researchers' viewpoint, and present them to business ventures for commercial purposes. Research methods of the study include data of the most recent thematic study of the World Bank on Bulgaria and analytical reviews of contemporary scientific literature to establish a modern Bulgarian platform for transfer of biotechnological know-hows to bio-based industries in the forthcoming era of bioeconomy. The results of the research are aimed at formation of comparativeanalytical parameters and benchmark indicators for economic valuation of implementation of biotechnological solutions in the emerging Bulgarian circular economy, based on observations at the "Vita Plus" project. Conclusions relate to derivation of a set of recommendations for formation of a new integrated approach for creating a working model for technological transfer of University researches and solutions in real bio-based industrial production through the University platform "Vita Plus". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the changes in Bulgaria's competitiveness in the textile and clothing (T&C) industry after the European Union accession and in times of the coronavirus pandemic covering the period 2007-2020. In methodological terms the study uses various indicators including production value, employment, labour productivity, relative trade balance, revealed comparative advantage index, among others. Wherever possible the analysis is done in a comparative perspective benchmarking the performance of the sector in Bulgaria with that in Romania. The results show that the Bulgarian T&C industry has undergone a significant transformation in the last two decades increasing its productivity but being subject to significant jobs downsizing. While still competitive on the European market, with rising wages and production costs, the comparative advantages of the industry are gradually eroding. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the apparel subsector very hard while some textile producers which managed to shift their production to personal protective equipment items managed it successfully. However, this is a temporary solution. The T&C industry in Bulgaria is confronted with significant long-term challenges such as the green and the digital transformation, and the how it deals with them will determine the prospects of the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to successfully meet the EU's resource efficiency targets by 2030, the transition to a circular economy model should become a state priority. This implies that the concept should be expanded not only to waste reduction and recycling, but also to the disruption of the dependence between economic growth and waste production. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how far in Bulgaria is done the transition to a circular model, while making a comparison with the EU and to prove the need for an accelerated implementation of adequate measures on the part of public authorities to promote such a change. Work is based on a descriptive analysis of secondary data on the performance of the selected indicators of circular economy and comparative analysis within the EU. The analysis shows the presence of a certain delay compared to the EU average indicators as well as unused opportunities not only related to more efficient use of resources, but also to a radical change in the business model. The conclusions reached indicate the existence of a number of obstacles that delay the transition. This calls for accelerating the reform of eco-fiscal and innovative government policies. The added value of the article is not only the analytical consideration of the problems, but mostly in drawing up recommendations for future measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this study is the assessment of the development of the sector by tracking the value of selected indicators and statistics. The paper will analyze and discuss their dynamic changes during the years of regarded period in order to obtain a clear overview of the Economic situation. We are witnesses of the dynamic growth of the sector within the context of the economic recovery during the major part of the observed period. There has been a transformation to economic downturn characterized by deceleration of overall economic growth in 2018 and 2019 and pronounced economic difficulties in 2020. The approach of the study is diachronic as the principal aim is to perceive changes during the years by comparison of a larger period which matches of the last stage of policy of the Common Agrarian Policy in Bulgaria. The aim is not to support or refute conducted CAP in Bulgaria, but to have it in mind and use it as a time frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovations take an essential role in the Bulgarian economic environment as well as in the national strategies for economic growth. For many companies, improving and increasing innovation and the ability to develop innovation is the most important factor for growth. The paper explores the innovation activity of the wine industry as a specific sector of the Bulgarian economy. The purpose of the current study is to identify the attitudes of the wine producers towards innovations and to discuss the innovation activity of their enterprises. The methods used include in-person verbal interviews, which were conducted with 15 participants as expert practitioners to test the ideas, build knowledge, and gain insightful context and nuance to the ideas. The results show that although some of the wine producers implement innovations they don't realize it. The focus of their innovations is in the product, process, and technological innovations, because they try to reach a balance between quality and price. It looks like that the institutions are more like obstacle rather than support for such activity. Thus, we can conclude that to a high extent the wine producers in Bulgaria are implementing and willing to implement innovations. However, they are not well aware of the possible innovations, their potential for increasing competitiveness and therefore are focusing only on directly improving their product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest in the subsector Wine production is caused, on the one hand, by the growing competition and the rapidly developing world market of wine products, characterised by an increase in consumption and export. On the other hand, the interest in the market continues to grow due to the importance of the subsector for our country. The main objective of this paper is to study the leading winemakers in the South Central Region of Bulgaria. In this regard, some indicators for the activity of the studied 15 wine production enterprises are derived. In particular, three leading market criteria are covered - net sales revenue, sales revenue per employee and relative market share. Based on an analysis of market indicators, conclusions are drawn and trends for the development of wine production in the studied region are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rural regions and rural disparities are the main issues in the European Union regional policy. The topic continues to be an object of serious discussion among policymakers and scientist. Agriculture plays an important role in rural areas and contributes to generating employment and income. In the past decades, the CAP is reforming and changing to address the challenges in the EU rural regions. The aim of the study is based on the socio-economic analysis of the rural regions in Bulgaria to formulate opportunities for more balanced and sustainable development. The paper observes possibilities and prospects for the rural areas in Bulgaria in the context of the CAP post-2020. The study reveals that depopulation and marginalization of rural regions remain major issues in Bulgaria. Therefore, the implementation of the territorial and local model should dominate in Pillar II for the 2014-2020 programming period. These approaches could stimulate transformations and transition to sustainable regional development. In order to maximize the potential of the Pillar II funding, the national regional policy also should be reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viticulture is one of the priorities of European agricultural policy. The sale of wine is successful when the product offered is competitive in the relevant market. The qualities of wine as a specific product are determined by the following factors - grape variety, wine taste, ecology of the region, wine production technology, etc. In this sense, Bulgaria has all the prerequisites for being among the leading wine producers in Europe and in the world. Our country has a tradition in the vine and wine sectors, in which funds continue to be invested. This is the main reason for the study to be focused on the wine market. The main objective of the scientific research paper is to outline the role of wine production in Bulgaria and to study sales in one of the wine regions - North Central. The subject of the study is the producers from the wine-growing region, members of the National Vine and Wine Chamber. In this regard, the survey was conducted in four of the seven companies, namely: Vinal AD., Lovech; Winery Pleven EAD, Pleven; Winery Svishtov AD., Svishtov and Loviko Lozari, Suhindol. The object of the study is the market indicators of the wine producers in the selected region. These indicators are being summarised and analysed. In conclusion, trends are outlined and recommendations for improving the efficiency of the surveyed enterprises in the sector are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioeconomy includes all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources (animals, plants, micro-organisms and biomass, including organic waste), their functions and principles. The use of new technologies in the national economy is a key moment, which will create opportunities for the production of high - quality products from bioeconomy represented by the different types of activities. In the paper presents some of the basic indicators (socio-economic) applicable in the regional economy of the country, based on the principles and factors specific to each region. The transformation of indicators towards the bioeconomy will give greater opportunities for social and economic prosperity in each region of the country according to its specific characteristics. Biomass is a kind of solar energy conserved in plant and animal organisms. Biomass as a resource includes waste products from animals and human activities. On earth, there is a certain amount of "dead" organic matter that can be used once as a non-renewable resource from organic fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper covers an important issue in national and international aspect: the migration processes and the legislation in Bulgaria. About 60,000 to 70,000 immigrants have been registered in the country but according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI) the number of immigrants residing in Bulgaria is between 300 and 350 thousand coming from more than 11 countries. The purpose of this study is to present an up-to-date picture of migration, in particular immigrants in Bulgaria, and their limited access to the labor market, health care, education, and social assistance. The authors use the methods of comparison, analysis, and data pooling. Secondary information from the authors' participation in the seminar Waves of Integration (TSUNAMI) in Caciulata, Romania, 2019 was also analyzed. The results of the survey show that the majority of the Bulgarian population perceives immigrants as a threat due to difficulties in their integration and in relation to the worse economic situation of the country compared to other European countries. In conclusion, migration in the country between 2017 and 2019, including illegal, is relatively low. The refugee crisis affects the Bulgarian population mainly politically and psychologically, and for asylum seekers Bulgaria is not a final destination but a transit territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the problem of educational inequality and the new ways in which it is reproduced within the modern school education system. The sustainable character of educational inequality in Bulgaria is analyzed in the light of its institutional nature, which, despite the European membership of the country, shows a clear tendency towards intensification and reflects the growing social differences between the advantaged and vulnerable groups in Bulgarian society. The intention of the author is aimed at comprehending some current limitations and opportunities for the action of teachers and school institutions, which are conditioned by the peculiarities of the contemporary economic, socio-cultural, and educational situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the relationship between foreign investment flows and the economic performance of Bulgaria's economic regions. It is a well-known fact that some imbalances exist in the level of development of the economic regions and the territorial localization of foreign direct investments. This uneven distribution - both in terms of economic development and investment allocation - creates serious prerequisites for economic backwardness, depopulation and deepening of demographic problems in some regions. The purpose of this paper is to draw some conclusions and make recommendations using the methods of economic and statistical analysis with a view to overcome the negative consequences and initiate a process of creating prerequisites for a balanced development of Bulgaria's regions and a more even placement of foreign capital flows at both regional and sectoral level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The goal of the study is to analyse the advantages in the Bulgarian full educational vertical in wellness culture, in two professional fields and establish the external evaluation for proposed knowledge, intellectual and practical skills of specialised personnel in Bulgarian niche tourism by defining the importance of the studied indicators. METHODS: We apply a psychometric assessment of customers' opinions to obtain results on the meanings of numbers (points/weight). The respondents' opinions we measure with an adaptive version of the questionnaire for studying through the usage of smart tools of google drive. RESULTS: This paper offers an analysis of advantages for accredited and integrated into the practice innovations in support of Niche tourism. We created new educational programs in response to the latest changes in the Bulgarian educational and scientific policies and regulations. In the last 10 years, Bulgaria has successfully integrated six new specialized (in niche tourism) programs in two professional categories - Healthcare & sport and is establishing a Centre for Excellence. CONCLUSIONS: The established regularities are a valuable reference point to build the full educational vertical from secondary level to doctoral level with innovative programs in support of smart services for Niche tourism and knowledge-based economy in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the work motivation of staff in hospitals is a complex process and under the influence of multiple factors activity. The aim of the paper is to reveal the role of corporate social responsibility as a factor for improving work motivation in hospitals in Bulgaria. Corporate social responsibility and its characteristics in the hospital sector are defined, and the impact on staff motivation as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Territorial Cooperation Programs, better known as INTERREG, support the European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth for Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion (Europe 2020). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the economic and social problems together with some opportunities in initiating joint activities between participating border regions of Romania and Bulgaria under the Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria Programme 2014-2020. Research implications that we draw from our results suggest potential improvements in cross-border partnership and projects. From the conclusions drawn, the generalizations appropriate for the future development of the cross-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Romania covering the period after 2020 can be summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the intense growth of information and communication technologies, human civilization goes through the phase of its digital transformation, which changes the course of everyday life and ways of doing business. The development of this evolutionary process is accompanied by the emergence of individual and group problems of Internet experience and which seriously affect the electronic trade of products in the stage of final exchange. The paper deals with the problems and their reasons, which make difficult for the individuals to order/bought goods or services over the internet in Bulgaria. On this basis some of the changes are summarized, that European legislation imposes in response to the balancing of the interests of the concerned parties and mainly with regard to the protection of end-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destination management organizations (DMOs) are well-established management structures in the international tourism practice. In Bulgaria's legislation, they are defined as organizations for tourism region management (OTRMs). The aim of this paper is to outline the expected trends and the possible challenges for the development of the organizations for tourism region management in Bulgaria. The research is based on methods such as system approach, deduction, induction, questionnaire-based surveys, etc. The main findings of the survey are as follows: there are 7 OTRMs listed in the registry of the Ministry of Tourism and two of the tourism regions have not yet registered such organizations; many people employed in the sector of tourism are still not aware of the functions of these OTRMs; the OTRMs are essential for development and promotion of regional and a national tourism products. The overall conclusion is that OTRMs and their functions are still not well-established in Bulgaria although they could be a key factor for a successful repositioning of the country as a tourism destination development of competitive tourism products, and sustainable development of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present a methodology for assessing the level of climatic risk in agriculture and to assess the risk of climate variability faced by wheat producers in Bulgaria. The analysis is based on secondary data on the average wheat yield during the period 1998 - 2018. Using a breakpoint linear regression model we estimated the predictable component in the time series of the average crop yield. Climate risk was assessed using a detrended coefficient of variation. We conclude that about 10% of the average yield variation from its typical value can be explained by the impact of random factors, among which climate variability over the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a review article devoted to a brief overview of English-language publications on portfolio as a good tool for continuously improving the quality of education in secondary and higher-education schools. The study is an essential part of the activities of a research project aimed at creating an electronic institutional portfolio of the specialty Social Pedagogy - at the Faculty of Education, Trakia University - Stara Zagora; respectively, the method used is qualitative critical review. The intention of the project is practically justified by the need to present a university specialty to various users - present and potential students, alumni, employers and other business environments of social and educational services, partner institutions, including mentors of student placement practices, national and foreign and/or international corporative non-profit associations with a similar scope of educational activities sharing the same interest in the specialty for working in a net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulgarian agriculture has been operating for ten years on the Common European market and under the Common agricultural policy (CAP). This period is characterized by dynamic structural changes in the agricultural sector. The process of restructuring the farms is associated with a reduction in their numbers, but an increase in their average size, a deepening of the unilateral production structure with a predominant share of extensive crops, an increase in the level of specialization and concentration of production. The purpose of this paper is to examine the trends in the restructuring of Bulgarian agriculture under the influence of the EU CAP. The following tasks are fulfilled in order to achieve the objective: to analyze the state of agriculture in Bulgaria; to reveal key factors and trends in structural changes in agriculture. The methods used to solve these tasks and achieve the goal are analysis and synthesis, axiomatic, method of statistical groupings and comparison, induction and deduction, structural - functional approach. Expectations from the study are that Bulgarian agriculture has deepened its dualist structure - on the one hand - a small number of large farms specializing in extensive crops and on the other - many small farms producing mainly for their own consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of whole tree logging in Bulgaria is regulated by The Executive Forest Agency. This Agency provides information about the planned area and the planned quantity of tree logging for each municipality and each plot of land. It also keeps track of the real area and real quantity of tree logging by each plot of land. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for analyzing the whole tree logging process using public available data. Statistical methods such as correlation analysis, testing of hypotheses, analyzing growth rates and calculating structural change indexes are applied. Visual grouping of locations reveals three groups of places. It is proved that there is a great correlation between the planned area, planned quantity, the real area and the real quantity of tree logging for each year. Growth rate analysis gives signals for possible problems with tree logging. The structural change indexes show great variations in the structure of living places providing wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]