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In Bulgaria, a National Health Information System was launched, which started e-health care. The process covered all participants and main flows of information in the sector: - Electronic Health Record (patient file); - Electronic recipes (e-recipes); - Electronic directions (e-directions); This paper presents the results of a pilot study to create safety of obstetric care in e-health conditions. The aim of the study is to examine the opinion of working professionals providing obstetric care in conditions of e-health, increasing the safety of the processes. Methods and methodology: a survey was conducted among 106 medical specialists directly engaged in the activities of the hospital wards of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Varna for the period January-March 2023. The results are processed and presented graphically. Results and discussion: more than half of the respondents (53.13% of medics and 51.35% of healthcare pro)fessionals) have difficulty working with a database. More than 60% believe that the work process is facilitated with the introduced amendments regarding the work with electronic file, compared to paper media. Aggravating factors for the workflows are the frequent change of requirements in the regulatory framework and the lack of clear regulations for content and requisites of the electronic file. In conclusion, with the rapid development of electronic forms of communication and information technologies are the basis of the most successful economic, administrative, health activities that support the processes of diag)nosis, treatment in hospital structures. They save time, resources, ensure patient safety and improve the quality of service when providing electronic peripheral sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is part of an empirical study of Anglophone travel books describing Bulgaria. Its subject are the images through which the topic of ‘Bulgaria’ is communicated to the British public at the beginning of 20th century. These images are found to be informed by the symbols of the dominant discourse iconography as well as by innovative approaches to the representational paradigm. The paper applies the historical discourse approach to the process of uncovering the link between the representations of Bulgaria in English travel writing and the models of identification deriving from the socio-political reality of the division between the colonial Great Powers and the marginal newly-liberated states. The constructivist focus on the continuous mutually constitutive interaction between social reality and communication is pivotal in the study. The travelogue is interpreted as a communicative act in the course of which the subject and the object position themselves and assume or attribute to each other identities matching their social roles. The images of „gentlemen“, „peasants“, „warriors“, unlock models of identification that either reaffirm the status quo in the British-Bulgarian relations or advocate a closer engagement of Britain with Bulgaria [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research is based on data for 43 non-financial enterprises listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange for the period 2018-2022. The results show a statistically significant positive relationship between the indicators of the trade credit policy and the term structure of the enterprises' debt in most years of the studied period. An indicator of the maturity structure of the debt in the study is the ratio Short-term debt/Total debt, and indicators of the trade credit policy of companies are the amount of receivables from customers and suppliers, the ratio Receivables from customers and suppliers/Short-term assets and the ratio Receivables from customers and suppliers/Total assets. This positive relationship is in accordance with the hypothesis of matching the maturities of the liabilities and the assets financed with them and reflects the desire of the companies to hedge the risk and reduce their costs on the borrowed resource. It is established that only in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic in Bulgaria, there is no significant relationship between the trade credit policy and the maturity structure of the debt of public companies. The reasons for this are the sharp and unexpected deterioration of business conditions in the sectors affected by the pandemic, the strong increase in uncertainty, the disruption of supply chains and difficulties in accessing finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By focusing on the communicative strategy of G. Gospodinov's Time Shelter, the paper aims to identify some of the reasons for the success of the novel in a non-Bulgarian environment. The focus is also on the image of Bulgaria that Time Shelte builds; in rela- tion to this image, the paper considers concepts such as "pamphlet" and "feuilleton" from a functional perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents data from a study of Bulgarian teachers' value orientations towards their work based on a sample of 401 professionals who come from different locations and school types. The data obtained are contrasted and comperatively analysed with data collected using the same methodology among a group of 2651 respondents from various professional fields in a national context. This is the first time that a study of this nature has been conducted in Bulgaria. The value profile of the teachers generally coincides with that of the general population. Additionally, there are some particularities that inspire fresh study inquiries. The results of the research allow to draw conclusions about the value dimensions of the teacher's work. The data verifies certain recent patterns of a growing interest in teaching jobs due to competitive advantages of the teaching profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Sport is a growing social and economic phenomenon with a significant contribution to the European Union's (EU) strategic objectives of solidarity and well-being.” This is stated in the White Paper on Sport, created by the European Commission in 2007. The year coincides with Bulgaria's accession as a member state of the Union, which marks a new stage for our country in the management of policies for the development of physical education, sport for excellence, social responsibility and public health, education, social inclusion, etc. In this period, as a result of significant changes in the development of institutions in the field of sport in Bulgaria, as well as changes brought about by external and internal factors, the system of physical education has fallen into a crisis, from which in the following years began to gradually emerge. The practice of sport among children, adolescents and adults is becoming increasingly restricted. Socially disadvantaged people rarely engage in physical activities, the performance of elite athletes in international events brings unsatisfactory results. All this comes as a regularity from the political, economic and social changes in society. This publication traces the institutionalization in the field of sport, which began as early as 1945, when the Department of Physical Culture and Sport was established under the Ministry of Public Health. It traces the development of sport institutions in Bulgaria over the years. It focuses on the period 2012 – 2023, the policy pursued and the strategic documents adopted in the field. Through a comparative analysis of the National Strategy for the Development of Physical Education and Sport in the Republic of Bulgaria 2012 – 2022 and the National Strategy for the Development of Physical Activity, Physical Education, Sport and Sports and Tourism 2023 – 2034, which has been publicly discussed, as well as accompanying documents, the main priorities, problems, objectives and their implementation are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper elaborates on a specific contradiction in the cultural policies of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. Even after 1956 (year of the April Plenum of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, which initiated a post-Stalinist liberalization in the government's treatment of people in the creative sphere), art-making practices remained under the communist doctrine's institutional pressure. At the same time, over the 60s, the 70s, and the 80s, the government imported a substantial number of cultural products from the West. In other words, a few decades before 1989 - the year associated with the fall of communism in Bulgaria - two tendencies, controlled by the communist authorities, co-existed in Bulgaria's public sphere: socialist realism was constantly re-asserted, but there was also an attempt at dialogue with the cultures behind the Iron Curtain. The upshot of this ambivalent attitude of the government is particularly intriguing when it comes to familiarizing the Bulgarian public with foreign cinema. Not only did movies from the West mold perceptions, desires, and behavioral models that differed from those officially prescribed; these movies (especially when created by world-famous directors) have left their imprint on totalitarian-era literary texts which we value to this day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of whether the climate of Bulgaria is changing and in what direction is not yet fully understood and this gives rise to various hypotheses and analyzes, which are often a reason for heated discussions between scientists with different expertise. However, there is agreement between the scientists that the increase in the frequency and intensity of meteorological and climate extremes and the natural disasters provoked by them are related to climate change. The possible effects of climate and meteorological extreems on the risk of adverse events and natural disasters in Bulgaria have been studied by different authors for different periods of observation. There are also many open access data that we have used for analysis purposes in this paper. The article aims to interpret the results of various studies on the changes in the behavior of major climatic and meteorological elements and extremes in Bulgaria in recent decades in the context of existing scenarios and indicators of climate change in the latter. The results show that there are already changes in the indicators for the territory of our country and that Bulgaria will be significantly affected by the global warming to the end of this century. This impact will in most cases be unfavorable both for the country's economy and for the people's health and the state of ecosystems, and will contribute to increasing the risk of natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of the paper presents a brief glimpse into the history of teaching Polish as a Foreign Language at universities worldwide. Activities of Bristol Association of Polish and Foreign Teachers of Polish Culture and Polish as a Second Language are also mentioned, as well as its role in offering methodological help for teachers and professors of Polish overseas. The paper offers also a presentation of the current model of teaching Polish abroad coordinated since 2017 by the Polish state agency NAWA. The second part of the paper deals with an overview of university centers teaching Polish in Slovakia. The author focuses mainly on the specifics of Polish education program at the Department of Slavonic Languages, Faculty of Arts at the Comenius University in Bratislava, from the synchronic and diachronic point of view. At the end of the paper, some relevant information about teaching Polish at university centers in Bulgaria is mentioned from the comparative, current perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching methods in secondary education have undergone significant changes due to COVID-19. The paper examines the positive impact of investing in education through the Strategic Framework for the Development of Education, Training and Learning in the Republic of Bulgaria (2021-2030) and digital technologies. The aim of this paper is to identify key challenges and relevant solutions through a study of teaching methods in secondary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous scientific advances and dozens of alternative vaccine strategies, BCG vaccine remains the only vaccine for tuberculosis prevention, and in 2021 we have honored 100 years since its first and successful implementation. Until 2021 it is the most used vaccine in the world, with almost 4 billion doses administered. Bulgaria is one of the pioneers in the manufacture and introduction of BCG vaccine in the world, and this production has been maintained for more than 70 years. Thanks to the dedicated work of generations of specialists, the BCG vaccine gained international recognition, and in 1991, the Bulgarian BCG manufacturer was requalified by WHO as a main supplier for United Nations. The vaccine is exported and used in more than 100 countries around the world. In 2010 it was approved by WHO as an International Reference Standard. In addition to its well-established immunobiological properties, the Bulgarian BCG has also been characterized as genetically stable. Phylogenetically, the Bulgarian vaccine strain belongs to the group of early BCG strains and possesses the genetic features inherent only to the strains closest to Calmette and Guérin‘s original. In this paper we report the assembled circular genome sequence of Mycobacterium bovis BCG-Sofia SL222 and phylogeny analysis with the most closely related BCG substrains. The full circular genome of BCG-Sofia SL222 had a length of 4,370,706 bp with an average GC content of 65.60%. After 50 years of in-vitro evolution in a freeze-dried condition, we identified only four SNP mutations compared to its progenitor BCG-Russia. The availability of the complete reference genome sequence for M. bovis BCG-Sofia SL222 proves the identity of the substrain and its genetic stability, contributes to the manufacturing consistency, and has an important value in standardization and differentiation of sub-strains used in vaccine production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern economy has a number of characteristics, one of which is the highly dynamic structural changes in the labor market. As a result, enterprises and organizations are faced with serious current problems and future challenges, related to access to the human resources they need with a level of knowledge, professional skills and competences adequate to the objective needs. This places as a strategic priority the formation, maintenance and development of human resources corresponding to the requirements and expectations of the business. Continuing Vocational Training (CVT) is a major tool for realizing this priority. The main purpose of the paper is to investigate the main aspects and characteristics of the CVT in Bulgaria during the period 2005 – 2020. The research methods used are the method of analysis and synthesis, statistical methods, graphic method, etc. The main research results are: the derived quantitative characteristics of the CVT; the general conclusions made regarding the state and dynamics in the development of the CVT in Bulgaria, incl. in comparison to EU countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the authors try to highlight some of the problems facing higher education in Bulgaria. The relevance of the problem and research attempts to analyze the system and its supporting elements are presented. The article is an attempt to take a picture of higher education in Bulgaria, in the context of the specialists prepared by it. Using a questionnaire survey, the authors derive the needs of the labor market and the regional focus of socio-economic development. Analysis and assessment of the opportunities for the formation of an online labor market is also conducted. The trends of the need for higher education specialists in the labor market are examined, drawing relevant conclusions and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents almost all of the most important travestied histories of Bulgaria written in 20 century. They present the past of the nation in different ways, some of them prefer to make fun with the great figures and events (Rayko Alexiev, Hristo Brazitsov, Nikolay Genchev) and to amuse the public with ethno-physiological reasoning, other (Georgi Konstantinov, Rumen Daskalov) put a strong criticism on the previous historiography, other present their narratives as fictional literature (Asen Hristoforov). The paper discusses to what extent and which of them are part of the popular literature, and what was the intention of the authors; it compares Hristoforov’s text with other texts on the same topic; and also offers some observations on the illustrations drawn by R. Alexiev and H. Brazitsov for their books, and by Alexander Bozhinov for Brazitsov’s book, and Todor Tsonev for Konstantinov’s book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines songs with love and erotic content, dating back from the so-called National Revival Period. They used to be visible part of the popular culture of Bulgaria and the Southeastern Europe region in initial decades of the Modern Bulgarian statehood. These songs were originally written in Bulgarian and in Turkish, but with Cyrillic alphabet. Turkish ones are introduced for the first time in Bulgarian Literary History Studies. They were taken from books by Manol Lazarov, Petko Slaveykov, and by an unidentified author with initials K.S.M. This popular literature genre had a complex biography, following to some extent the ideological planning of the Bulgarian society and the social trajectory of the ideas of the nation, particular for that period. Initially, they were well accepted, so they gained vast popularity. Such a positive reception was particular for the period, when they were not experienced as non-matching to the emerging national ideology. Coincidingly with the rising of Bulgarian nationalism, their popularity decreased and they accumulated certain criticism, so in the beginning of the XX c. they were marginalized. In the last decades of XIX s., according to the changes of the ideological climate in Bulgaria, some of them were reinterpreted in a patriotic key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the professional qualification of employees in the Bulgarian state administration is undoubtedly a priority of all interested parties in the process: human resources, educational institutions, government, state administrations. It is obvious that the system for professional and career development of civil servants needs to be modernized in accordance with the economic and social changes and the need for continuous improvement of the professional capacity of the administration. Therefore, the model of continuous professional development of the employees in the state administration needs to be modified and optimised in a way that takes the advantage of the new technologies and elearning. Introduction of e-learning has the potential to increase the flexibility and accessibility of learning, both in terms of logistics and economics and to respond in a personalised way to the needs of the learners and the specifics of the learning context. This paper presents a model of e-learning. The main characteristics of the current model are outlined. The empirical research was conducted in June-July 2020 with 1428 civil servants from all over the country and 18 lecturers. The study aimed to investigate what were the perspectives of the trainees and trainers towards the introduction and delivery of online courses in professional continuing qualification of public administration. Based on the data analysis and the specifics of the learning context recommendations for the model of e-learning improvement in public administration are suggested. The findings of the conducted research are a reliable basis for future improvement of the e-learning model at the Institute of Public Administration as a leading organization training the state administration in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonic subdivision of a given territory should be based on thorough field work, as a synthesis of its principal results and of the bulk of tectonic and stratigraphic knowledge on this territory. It should serve together with litho- and chronostratigraphy as a basic framework both for future mapping and prospection, and for metallogenic, hydrogeological, geotechnical, etc. research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When selecting a site for the construction of a repository for high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the mineral composition of the geological environment is of primary importance. The content and type of the clay component and its structure have important implications for the insulating and sorption properties of the host rock and migration of radionuclides. In such previous studies in Bulgaria for site selection of the geological disposal of HLW the Lower Cretaceous marls (argillites) of the Sumer Formation (Western Pre-Balkans) were considered as ones of the prospective formations. This paper presents data about grain size distribution and mineral composition of the marls (argillites) at depths of 50 m and 400 m. A study was conducted on the structure of samples taken at a depth of 800 m from the Golyamo Pestene borehole. The obtained results are compared in order to clarify the homogeneity of the formation in depth. An increase in the clay fraction and the illite contained in it are observed in depth - from 22% at 18 m to 29% at 400 m, additionally, there is a slight increase in the carbonate content from 13.9% in samples up to 50 m to 26.9% on samples of 400 m. Data are presented on the volume, surface area, size and distribution of pores in the marls from 200 m depth (P-5 "Golyamo Peshtene"), which are necessary in assessing the migration of radionuclides from the repository. The majority of pores (82.4%) have a radius below 0,1 μm. A comparison is made of the mineral composition and structure of the argillites (marls) with similar clay rocks in Western Europe, where underground research laboratories have been constructed for in-situ study of the host rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advanced (modern) health systems are based on the principles of solidarity, the right to choose and efficiency in spending the resources of the system. They have both social and economic characteristics. The role of public health resources in all developed countries is leading. The present paper examines the status and problems of public finance management. It is based on research realized in 2020. The research was conducted among health managers, university professors of health care management, health experts of Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Fund, executive directors and managers of hospitals and laboratories, and other experts in the healthcare system. The authors investigate theirs positions about the changes in healthcare financing in Bulgaria. The aim of the study is to identify the main problems in public finance management in healthcare. The study shows that the Ministry of Health have to manage and finance some priority health activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between household income, financial stability and well-being under the COVID-19 conditions in Bulgaria. Based on the definition of the total and monetary household income, the paper outlines its theoretical bases, scope, structure and specific characteristics. It analyzes the dynamics of the total and monetary household income, proving that it depends directly on the global pandemic situation provoked by COVID-19. It also justifies the need to rationalize the management of household income in the short and long term to achieve the financial goals, set in the household budget, and improve household’s well-being. The object of study in this paper is household income, and the subject is defined as the highlighting of factors that affect the state, dynamics and trends in the development of the object of study in recent years in the Republic of Bulgaria. The conclusion is that the rational management of household income in the short, medium and strategic horizon is a prerequisite for the households’ financial stability and achievement of the goals set, complied with the households’ financial capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the phenomenon of the football subcultures in post-socialist Bulgarian society through the use of relevant anthropological methods. The emphasis is on the fundamental markers of identity (spaces, symbols, behavioral practices, etc.) shared by the different subgroups united around the football game (ultras, hooligans). The author’s main argument is that “authenticity“ (first of all in supporting one’s favorite football club) represents the central notion within supporters’ identity despite the permanently evolving nature of their practices and ideas. Furthermore, the Bulgarian case shows that there are two parallel and inextricably related processes within local football fan groups – on the one hand, there is an increased adaptation of examples and models from abroad (via the usage of the Internet and various social networks), and on the other hand, these imported trends of football fandom “mix“ with local specifics. Moreover, the article sheds light on the various places, notions and popular stereotypes about the football supporters in the general social context of present-day Bulgaria. Methodologically, the paper integrates some of the main theoretical paradigms of the subject at hand and is based on the author’s detailed ethnographic insider research among the football subcultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern financial markets create a new criterion for evaluating the investment performance of companies - a multidimensional approach that combines the financial, social and environmental aspects together. A sustainable and responsible investment approach is perceived as a long-term driver of value and many institutional investors around the world, incl. pension funds, integrate it into their traditional investment process. At the same time, Bulgarian private pension funds either neglect (underestimate) the issues of sustainable development, or changе their investment policy too timidly and uncertainly. After an in-depth analysis of the sustainable and responsible investment practices imposed by the ecological leaders among the pension funds, the current research paper offers an adapted model for integrating the "green" investment trend, consistent with the organization and development of voluntary private pension funds in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research paper is to examine the goals and challenges of the regional development in a pandemic. In accordance with the set topic, the exhibition follows: ­ Clarifying the essence of the regional development concept. ­ Analysis of the socio - economic situation of different districts in Bulgaria on the basis of summarized data from the beginning of the pandemic. ­ Presentation of the main goals and challenges for achieving sustainable and balanced regional development in a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Bulgaria has mobilized significant financial resources to overcome the consequences of the pandemic on the economy, labour market and household wellbeing. The 60/40 measure, under which employers from affected sectors can receive financial support to retain existing jobs, became a significant element of these efforts. With a budget of almost 2 billion BGN, the measure supported the retention of over 340 000 jobs. From a research point of view, however, its social impacts, including on labour market inequalities, remain insufficiently clear. This paper tries to contribute to the fulfillment of this gap by putting the results of the implementation of the 60/40 measure in the context of the problem about the labour market segmentation. Based on freely accessible data published by state institutions, the paper discusses the existence of some disbalances linked to the implementation of the 60/40 measure which could deepen the labour market inequalities and expand the segment of jobs with worsening wage adequacy. In that regard, areas of future research and possible improvements of the approach towards the study of the impacts of the measure have been identified. Moreover, the discussed problem areas shed light on some aspects regarding the role of the state and public policies in shaping the labour market segmentation in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main goal of the study is to analyze the participation of women in the forestry sector in Bulgaria and in the other EU Member States in the Danube region. The object of a more in-depth analysis are the female employees in the following forest-based industries: “Forestry and logging”; “Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials”; "Manufacture of paper and paper products"; "Manufacture of furniture". The main author's hypothesis is that the participation of women in the forestry sector in the Danube region is low. The currently used measures and initiatives to motivate their participation are not effective enough. Those initiatives are mainly focused on training, which, however, do not reflect the real reasons for the lack of interest of women in the sector. The adopted research methods are based on logical, deductive and comparative methods, as well as on the methods of analysis and synthesis. The results of the study support the literature by providing more data on the employment of women in the forestry sector, as well as some good practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main goal of the study is to analyze the participation of women in the forestry sector in Bulgaria and in the other EU Member States in the Danube region. The object of a more in-depth analysis are the female employees in the following forest-based industries: “Forestry and logging”; “Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials”; "Manufacture of paper and paper products"; "Manufacture of furniture". The main author's hypothesis is that the participation of women in the forestry sector in the Danube region is low. The currently used measures and initiatives to motivate their participation are not effective enough. Those initiatives are mainly focused on training, which, however, do not reflect the real reasons for the lack of interest of women in the sector. The adopted research methods are based on logical, deductive and comparative methods, as well as on the methods of analysis and synthesis. The results of the study support the literature by providing more data on the employment of women in the forestry sector, as well as some good practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific paper analyzes an anonymous report to the Bucharest newspaper “Narodnost” published as “Letter from Bulgaria” in two consecutive issues in March 1869. The author of the report has not revealed his real name but has nevertheless left specific indicative signs that give material reason to believe this person was Vasil Levski himself. The thesis formulated herewith is supported by relevant evidence. The anonymous report is an important historical evidence for the participation of Vasil Levski in the revolutionary detachment action of 1867. At the same time, its overall contents complement the insufficient sources about his first organisational tour in Bulgaria. The first part of the anonymous report is an authentic text written by Vasil Levski, which has remained unnoticed by the specialized historiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper are presented observations of meteor showers from 2015, 2016, and 2017, made during the National astronomy and astrophysics camp, Beli brezi, Ardino, Bulgaria. Concepts of meteor, meteor shower, and radiant are defined and the basic features of the meteor showers: Perseids and Alpha-Capricornids are explained. Additionally a description of the way observations are made according to the International Meteor Organization - IMO in Germany for the exchange of data is discussed and a comparison between the gathered data and the summary data from other observers is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents accounting analysis of infrastructure assets as elements of fixed assets in the public sector. Infrastructure assets are significant assets for the public sector. Significant resources of the society are invested in these assets. This paper defines public sector assets and outlines major differences with the definitions in the private sector. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the regulations on infrastructure assets in the European Accounting Rules and International Public Sector Accounting Standards. The paper presents the main accounting policies applied in accounting for infrastructure assets in New Zealand, which is one of the few countries in the world that apply the full version of International Public Sector Accounting Standards. Some of the problems in accounting for infrastructure assets in Bulgaria have been systematized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees are a key resource for each business. With the digital transformation going even more rapidly after the pandemic, there is a growing need for digital skills in various sectors. It should come as no surprise, as this seems to be relevant also to the Information and Communication Technology industry. Nowadays, there is a worldwide demand for Software Engineers, System Administrators, E-Commerce Developers and other tech professionals - roles that are vital even for companies that are not directly delivering technological solutions. 2022 started as a challenging year in terms of hiring technical talent and in Bulgaria, the situation is no different. For the last years, there has been a growth in the training and education of technology specialists, however, there is still a shortage on the market. Recruitment practices need to be optimized in accordance with the situation to develop more effective strategies for covering these shortages. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the existing recruitment practices specifically in the Information and Communication Technology industry. In the article, the current state of the labour market is reviewed along with the corresponding strategies applied to respond to the market demands. Globalization advanced innovation in employee selection strategies and led companies to applyig creative approaches to staffing. Candidate sources are now fully digital and easily accessible, which promotes competition among businesses to hire the best specialists. Yet, this only seems to shrink the talen pool, as the gap between business needs and supply of technology professionals remains. The positive outcome of this research suggests that managers of technology companies would be able to build a customized recruitment framework for their specific needs and to successfully hire new employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skeletal remains of two individuals were discovered in a dugout dwelling (# 10) during rescue excavations of the early medieval metallurgical centre "Brestnitsa-Poleto", northwestern Bulgaria. While these are not the only skeletons discovered on the site, this find is of note because, unlike other burials excavated nearby, it doe s not represent a regular Christian burial Instead the remains were found on the floor of a housing structure. The radiocarbon dating of the bones indicates they were from the first decade / half of the 9th century. The current paper examines the process of discovering and documenting the skeletal remains in situ. It offers a reconstruction of the situation of the bodies at the time of their death - their positions and location, as well as a possible cause of death. The consequent laboratory analysis presents a detailed report of the individual characteristics of each skeleton starting with age, sex and stature estimation, and a thorough examination of pathological marks and changes, as well as dental and craniometrical indexes where the condition of the bones allowed a reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus infections rank first in the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system in large and small ruminants. The paper analyzes the occurrence, spread, development, trends and prevention of coronavirus infections in ruminants in Bulgaria, Europe and around the world. Retrospective, descriptive and statistical methods were used. The experience and the specifics of the coronavirus diseases encountered so far in large and small ruminants - cattle, buffaloes, camels, deer, sheep and goats and their epizootic character are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper offers an analysis of the ethno-demographic data found in a corpus of handwritten documents related to the Province of Varna in North-eastern Bulgaria, and compiled in 1888 as a result of a state-wide initiative for collecting information on the traditional clothes of the population. The related data is explored in the context of other contemporary sources in order to trace tendencies and specificities in the approach of the local administration - which was responsible for carrying out of the survey - towards the ethnicity as a concept and a means of population mapping, as well as towards the represented ethnic groups in particular. The paper highlights the meanings of the term ‘ethnicity’ (narodnost) as applied in the sources under consideration, and discusses the (in)visibility of certain communities, including the ethnographic groups that form them. Moreover, an attempt is made to set the discussion against the background of imperial legacy and the social structures and concepts that functioned in the nineteenth-century Ottoman state as opposed to those developing in the newly founded Bulgarian national state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the educational aspects of the historical transformation of disability from a matter of care, cure and charity to a matter of social justice and human rights, initiated and led by the disabled people's movement. The first part of the paper considers the social model of disability and its significance for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The second part focuses on inclusive education, regarding it as a major element of the transformation of disability into an issue of justice and rights. The concluding section analysis the practice of inclusion both globally and in Bulgaria by discussing various barriers to inclusion (lack of adequate support, large groups and classes, ableism, rigid curricula, overvaluation of academic achievements, selectivity), their links to disciplinary power and marketisation, and possibilities for their overcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contains the team selection tests for the team of Bulgaria at the Junior Balkan Math Olympiad 2021 as well as an overview of the team results. The included materials can be useful for the math contest preparation classes in Junior high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential construction, as part of the construction sector, has developed quite dynamically over the last twenty years. This paper examines the dynamics of new housing construction over a seventeen-year period. The panel dataset includes household-related factors of demographic, social, and economic character regarding the demand for newly built housing estate. Different specifications of econometric panel models for the dynamics of new housing construction at district level in Bulgaria are built and estimated. The results show that the dependence of housing area of newly built dwellings by regions in Bulgaria is directly proportional to natural increase, migration, average annual wage, and number of pupils, and inversely proportional to unemployment. Interestingly, the variable “net enrollment rate of children in kindergartens” did not show the expected effect on the growth of newly built housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the winners of the 2021 Awards to Teachers in Mathematics and Computer Science given annually by the International Foundation “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” for high achievements in identifying and developing gifted students in the last five years. The winners of the annual awards are determined jointly with the Union of Mathematicians in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of palynofacies analysis has been steadily increasing during the last decades. This stems from both commercial interests (i.e., hydrocarbon exploration) and academic research of past environments and studies of the global climate changes that took place during the Phanerozoic. In both commercial and academic contexts, there is a need for a better understanding of palaeoenvironmental changes in order to correctly date and interpret the depositional facies recorded in boreholes and outcrops. The present paper introduces this important analysis in the Bulgarian literature with characteristic examples of different palynofacies types documented by the author in Cretaceous sections in Bulgaria and their interpretation. These examples highlight the value of using palynofacies and palynomorph associations in an integrated approach for paleoenvironmental reconstructions in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the few preserved works of Theophile of Alexandria there is the short Sermo de morte et de iudicio (CPG 2618). It was not only translated into Syriac, Arabic and Armenian, but also into Old Church Slavonic (Old Bulgarian). The work is found to exist in the Middle Bulgarian (from the 13th century), Serbian (from the 14th century) and East Slavonic (from the 14th century) recensions. A series of redactional changes can be observed, e.g., an East Slavonic one, as well as one that gave rise to a separate branch consisting of the Athonite MS together with the MS from Zagreb (Miscellany of Pakrac). Analysis of the language of the Slavonic text shows a limited number of syntactic archaisms (e.g., the adnominal dative translating the Greek genitive). In addition, the vocabulary is significantly close to the East Bulgarian Preslav school. Indeed, it can be reasonably surmised that the translation originated during the 10th century in East Bulgaria, in the context of the literary school of Preslav. At the end of the paper, the oldest copy from the Middle Bulgarian Mihanović Patericon (Cod. Vindob. slav. № 137 (152) is published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to highlight the phenomenon of “white space” in the Bulgarian model of land tenure and land use, as a result of land reforms in Bulgaria. Based on regression analysis, the relationship between the change in the average rent of “white space” and the average rent on the land is checked. It is concluded that the average rent of “white space” follows the change in the average rent, but with a delay, which in turn is a prerequisite for dissatisfaction of some owners. The phenomenon of “white space”, as a result of the “formal rules” of the institutional environment, protects the interests of agricultural landowners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service Marketing is a relatively new discipline taught in recent years at the Bulgarian universities. Within the contact and the relationship with the service, people are experiencing „the moment of true”. Thus, they evaluate the quality of the offered service by the company or university. The aim of the author of this paper is to go deeply through the world of the chosen target group – marketing students at the university “Prof. D-r. Assen Zlatarov” in Burgas, Bulgaria. Thereby data was collected and transformed into an information about their needs, wants, expectations, interest and role in the context of the subject Service Marketing. The survey is limited to marketing students, Bachelor of Science, 4th year in summer semester 2019 at the university “Prof. D-r. Assen Zlatarov” in Burgas. Service Marketing is an elective class, chosen by the majority of students as an alternative to Product Marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to note the economic important pests of tobacco in Bulgaria during recent years and their trends for multiplication and spreading. In recent years, due to a number of factors, the most important economic tobacco pests are tobacco thrips Thrips tabaci and peach aphid Myzus persicae. Importantly for identifying and regulating pests is the implementation of permanent phytosanitary monitoring to determine their presence. Only in this way the pest control will be most effective. Daily reporting of climatе factors and acquaintance with the forecast for a longer period of time should also be involved as a method and approach for pests limiting and/or treating the pests at their most sensitive stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying alternative methods to control pests as Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa L., Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Myzus persicae Sulzer, Agrotis segetum Denis & Schiffermüller, Euxoa temera Hübner, Heliothis armigera Hübner and Phthorimaea operculella Zeller, will help to protect the beneficial entomofauna by one side, and from another a pure raw material for tobacco industry. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the main pests of tobacco in Bulgaria and environmentally prospects for their limiting. Applying bio-environmental methods and approaches at the right moment would lead to a more sustainable environment for beneficial species, in order to limit the harmful ones below the threshold of economic noxiousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents religious practices and politics of memory, related to the cult of the “new martyrs” (“martyrs of totalitarianism”) in the Catholic Church in Bulgaria after 1989. The paper is based on terminological apparatus and methodology in the field of anthropology of memory and anthropology of religion, and describes the procedures of beatification of Blessed Eugene Bossilkov (beat. 1998) and bishops Fr. Kamen Vichev, Fr. Pavel Dzhidzov, Fr. Iosafat Shishkov (beat. 2002), Fr. Fortunat Bakalski, Fr. Rafael Peev, and others. The objective of this study is to elucidate major moments related to the institutionalisation of the cult, the processes of construction of sacredness, the creation of new religious practices, the commemoration practices, and the places of memory. The study explores the elements of the veneration of the “new martyrs” in Bulgaria, the connection between cult and history, and the issues of memory and the policies of memory as a form of heritage. The observations and the examples are obtained through field research and interviews conducted in several settlements in the Diocese of Sofia and Plovdiv and the Diocese of Nicopolis (primarily the towns of Plovdiv, Rakovski, Ruse, and Belene, the village of Oresh, and the city of Sofia). Relics, testimonies of martyrdom, stories of miracles, hagiographical and iconographical innovations, commemorational festivities, places of memory, related to the “new martyrs” – all of these are analysed through the prism of processes of invention of cultural-historical heritage, renovation of confessional identities, and creation of reworking models of traumatic memory in the period of socialism. The article looks for answers to the following questions: What is the character of the totalitarian martyrology in Bulgaria? How are the confessional consciousness of the Catholic communities and the character of their religious culture being transformed through the religious cults of the “new martyrs”? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polish popular religious songs are part of the repertoires of both the Roman Catholic and the Eastern-rite Catholic Churches in Bulgaria. These songs were introduced in the paraliturgical practice via different ways. One reason was the influence of missionaries from monastic communities from Poland: the friars from the Resurrectionist Congregation, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin и the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. On the other hand, the personal influence of St. Pope John Paul II also contributed to the process. During his pontificate, some Polish popular religious songs that he supposedly liked gained popularity in Bulgaria. The presence of Polish popular religious songs in the Eastern Catholic repertoire, accepted and assimilated in the local tradition, is an example of various interactions: between East and West; between Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic music; and between two Slavic cultures, the Polish and the Bulgarian one. The popular religious songs are a brilliant example of cultural transfer, implemented on different levels: religious, confessional, national and universal. The focus of the paper is on three songs, which are a part of the Eastern Catholic song repertoire in modern times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This year we have anniversary 80 year from birth of Prof. Dr. Georgi Bizhkov (1940 – 2014). In period of near for decades, he is part of academic community of Alma Mater and contributes for growth of the University and Sciences for Education in our country. This paper have not pretensions to make critical analysis of review of activities of our Professor as academic scientist, but to describe his contribution for the growth of Alma Mater, university education and pedagogical science in Bulgaria in the last decades of 20 and beginning of 21 century. He devotes ten years to lead and develop from 1993 to 2003 the Faculty of Primary and Preschool Education. His work as Dean of faculty, Head of Council of Deans at Sofia University and Head of Commission for Educational Sciences, Musical and a Activities in NAAAHE from 2003 to 2012 are important part from development of pedagogy in Bulgaria, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of relict species characterize the flora of Strandzha Mountain. More than 120 species are included in the red book of Bulgaria, one of which is Cicer montbretii Jaub. & Spach (Chickpeas). This paper reports the results obtained from an expedition survey of several localities of Cicer monbretii Jaub. & Spach in Strandzha Nature Park. The microbiological status of soils from the marked Constantinople chickpea habitats was determined. The annual monitoring of Cicer monbretii Jaub. & Spach in Strandzha aim to evaluate the methods for its most effective maintenance and storage outside its habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global environmental problems and climate changes in recent decades have brought to the fore the questions related to the sustainable development of economies and the impact of these processes on the long-term returns of widely diversified portfolios. Consideration of all risk factors and potential opportunities is key to the investments of pension funds, which are called to act “in the best interest” of beneficiaries, providing secure and stable income. To unlock their potential to finance the economy’s low-carbon transition, pension funds must be convinced that the financial characteristics of green assets match the profile they are looking for and have a good understanding of their benefits and risks. The current paper aims to research the effect of including green assets in the portfolio of voluntary private pension funds in Bulgaria, applying the UPM/LPM model for portfolio optimization. The model is highly configurable to multiple constraints, operates without assumptions about the distribution of asset returns, and “captures” the various utility functions of investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds on the results of an empirical report prepared in the context of the European project MAR.CH. and a review of the literature on the use of ICT in school. An original study on the role of the teacher in contemporary online (interactive) teaching is presented. The effectiveness of interactive methods for education was analyzed with the help of original online questionnaire. Our results contribute to understanding the effectiveness of interactive education in secondary schools in Bulgaria and Europe, as well. The conclusion is that in online lectures or distance learning via multimedia presentations, it is preferable to have good visualisation of the material. Furthermore, this type of teaching is mostly preferred by the students as a mean for self-training and to research additional information rather than as a primary method for learning new material. The role of the teacher’s actual appearance in the videos and multimedia presentations does not seem to be crucial to the teaching of the material. Much more important though are the technical characteristics and the postprocessing of the video, ensuring good visibility of the slides with the material. We also stress that, based on our research, distance learning is generally not preferred as a the principal method for teaching. The results, published here for the first time, have lead to a successful defense of a Master’s Thesis at the Faculty of Physics at the Sofia University in July 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between innovation activity and the financial performance of SMEs in Bulgaria is examined. The survey results show that there is no statistically significant relationship between the innovation activity of enterprises and their financial results, net sales, profit margins, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and asset turnover. However, a significant dependence of the innovative activity of SMEs in the country and indicators of their liquidity, indebtedness and bankruptcy risk are revealed. SMEs that have innovation costs or have introduced in their market a new or significantly improved product, or have introduced new or significantly improved production methods in the last three years, are less liquid, more indebted and more likely to go bankrupt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]