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The sludge, which is produced from wastewater treatment facilities features concentration of harmful substances, including heavy metals. Therefore, before being used in agriculture, it is necessary to process the sludge in order to meet the requirements of the regulation concerning sludge utilization. The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of growing corn using sewage sludge from the paper industry. A two-year experiment was performed with „Kneja 613“variety, which was grown in the field and fertilized by WWTP sludge, two standards - 1000 and 1500 kg/dka. The experiment was displayed on alluvial soil near the town of Stamboliyski (Southern Bulgaria). The following properties were monitored: germination, third and fourth leaves growth phase, phase of fifth and sixth leaves growth, stem thickness, number of the cobs and cob length. The results indicate the dependence of the amount of the deposited precipitate. The growth and development of plants grown at fertilization with 1500 kg/dka sludge showed much higher values of biometric properties than the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potentially, technology transfer offices (TTOs) can play a significant role in facilitating the successful transfer of technologies and knowledge between universities and industry. Many developing countries are currently developing technology transfer practices within their universities. However, many developing country TTOs operate inefficiently or are ineffective. The sharing of experiences can lead to improvements in this endeavour. Advanced nations can serve as a frame of reference and a basis of policy recommendations for developing countries due to the longevity of their technology transfer activities. The authors issued 234 questionnaires to European university TTOs, of which 54 usable questionnaires were returned. They combine the data from these questionnaires with 19 interviews conducted with university TTO staff from 9 countries in an attempt to create a typology of practices that developing nations could emulate to improve technology transfer in their own contexts. While ultimately a clear typology was not forthcoming, the authors found some relationship between the dominant focus in the mission statement of developed country TTOs, the activities they undertake, their position in the university governance structure and their level of maturity which may usefully inform the development of TTO practices in developing countries.

Background: The Lidcombe Program is a stuttering treatment approach for children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Most papers about the Lidcombe Program, however, are based on studies conducted in native English-speaking countries. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the delivery and implementation of the Lidcombe Program in non-native English-speaking countries. Summary: A resource search was conducted between October and November 2019. Scopus, PubMed, ASHA, Cochrane Library, ERIC, Google Scholar, and SpeechBITE databases and reference lists of relevant papers were searched for the identification process. Joanna Briggs Institute tools were used for the appraisal of the studies. The search yielded 8 studies conducted in non-native English-speaking countries. The Lidcombe Program is efficacious in non-native English-speaking countries when delivered to both preschool and young school age children who stutter. It is reported to be delivered with minor changes and challenges. The number of weekly clinic visits and the total time needed to reach zero or near-zero stuttering levels with the Lidcombe Program can be up to 3 times greater in non-native English-speaking countries than in native English-speaking countries, mostly due to the increased time needed to introduce the parental verbal contingencies. Key Messages: Speech and language therapists practicing in non-native English-speaking countries are encouraged to use the Lidcombe Program for both preschool and young school age children who stutter, although this can take more time than that reported in native English-speaking countries. Further investigation to explore the therapy process with children and parents in non-native English-speaking countries is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentration levels of air pollutants may cause damage to plants, animals, and the health of some groups of human beings. Therefore, it is important to investigate different topics related to the high air pollution levels and to find reliable answers to the questions about the possible damages, which might take place when these levels exceed some limits. A few of the numerous questions, the answers of which are highly desirable, are listed below: (a) When are the air pollution levels dangerous? (b) What is the reason for the increased air pollution levels? (c) How can the air pollution levels be decreased? (d) Will the future climate changes result in higher and more dangerous air pollution levels? It is necessary to study carefully many issues connected with the distribution of air pollutants in a given region and with the reasons for the increases of the concentrations to high levels, which might be damaging. In order to do this, it is necessary to develop a Digital Twin of all relevant physical processes in the atmosphere and to use after that this tool in different applications. Such a tool, its name is DIGITAL AIR, has been created. Digital Twins are becoming more and more popular). Many complex problems, arising taking place in very complicated surroundings, can be handled and resolved successfully by applying Digital Twins. The preparation of such a digital tool as well as its practical implementation in the treatment of a special problem, the increase of some potentially dangerous ozone levels, will be discussed and tested in this paper. The Unified Danish Eulerian Model (UNI-DEM) is a very important part of DIGITAL AIR. This mathematical model, UNI-DEM, can be applied in many different studies related to damaging effects caused by high air pollution levels. We shall use it in this paper to get a reliable answer to a very special but extremely important question: will the future climatic changes lead to an increase in the ozone pollution levels in Bulgaria and Europe, which can potentially become dangerous for human health? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue (BT) is an acute, viral, vector-borne, non-contagious disease of ruminants caused by Bluetonguevirus (BTV). Twenty-six different serotypes have been identified, and the ability of each strain to cause disease varies widely. BTV can infect a wide range of domestic and wild ruminants - sheep, goats, cattle, buffalo, deer, most species of African antelope and camels. For the study period (2011-2021), outbreaks were declared in 21 member states in Europe with predominant serotypes 1, 4 and 8. Based on data from Animal Disease Information System (ADIS) with the present paper we analyzed the distribution of the BTV serotypes within the affected countries and found that particular serotypes tend to spread to particular countries. The development of regulatory measures for prevention, surveillance and eradication of BT is discussed based on the European legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific interest in wild mushrooms continuously increases worldwide. In the present review article, the results from some recent investigations by Bulgarian and foreign authors devoted to the current distribution of some edible, toxic and medicinal wild mushroom species in Bulgaria and some European countries are summarized. Some newly-recognized mushrooms are indicated. The examinations of wild mushroom safety under the conditions of environmental contamination deserve special attention, too. The scientists from European countries and Bulgaria have essential contributions to the field of the mushroom identification and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural areas in Europe suffer under demographic change and migration to urban areas which caused problems in supply, mobility and medical care for remaining population. Thus, new solutions are required for rural areas to solve shortcoming in retailing, waste disposal, postal and administrational issues since all related services become more and more inefficient from the perspective of service providers. Here, the concept of “smart rural areas” can contribute to solutions since it targets on non-urban areas and tries to improve the development perspectives of rural areas by using digitalization and smart approaches to overcome all mentioned shortcomings in rural areas. Delivery robots represent smart logistics systems and they are able to solve important logistics problems in rural areas. Originally, autonomously driving delivery robots were constructed for last-mile deliveries of packages with a focus on urban environments but recent research also highlights the possibility of their application in rural areas. Since the use of autonomous delivery robots represents a neglected research topic until now, this paper analyses tentative applications of delivery robots in rural environments and develops concepts to overcome shortcomings in logistics with these robots. Delivery robots can be considered as cyberphysical systems in the sense of Industry 4.0 so that this research also contributes to the field of smart rural development. The underlying research question focuses on how autonomous delivery robots might facilitate smart rural development. The empirical measures of the paper are based on semi-structured expert interviews, research group meetings, secondary data, and results from case studies from Estonia and Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of a societal base of xenophobia in Europe poses a challenge for the Muslim minorities to alter power relations in the society. In the light of the previous and the current research as well as established theoretical insights, this paper suggests that racial discourse now strategically allows a particular form of pluralism in society, a dominant pluralism, which occludes the possibility for the Muslims to be involved equally in the public and political life. The results of the qualitative analysis, based on interviews conducted with groups holding xenophobic ideas in Austria, Bulgaria and Italy, confirmed earlier observations on contemporary racism, which suggested incommensurability of Muslim minorities with the European culture; their non-assimilative adaptation to society; their expulsion if this adaptation fails and advocating populism. Space is a crucial aspect of exclusion in this discursive frame because minorities are excluded from public and communicative spaces. The discourse is supported by the conceptual sources of a dominant form of pluralism that are found in Michel Foucault and master–slave relationship in philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There are many ways of moving through a city. Cycling is one which has received considerable attention from urban scholars. Yet it has remained largely neglected within the burgeoning literature on the post-socialist urbanisms of Central and Eastern Europe. This paper uses a case study from Sofia, Bulgaria to address this gap in urban research. By exploring the practices and affordances of cycling, we offer a discussion of everyday mobility, public life and urban space in post-socialist Sofia. This case study incorporates ethnography and in-depth interviews with regular cyclists. Through a discussion of bicycling spaces and practices, this paper complicates the notion of post-socialist cities as places defined by the decline of public sensibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents research and findings related to the Second Chance Schools - an innovative approach which is gaining strength and popularity in recent years but is almost unknown in Bulgaria. The documentary research, the analysis of interviews of the various actors and the online surveys during the project revealed a set of characteristics of Second Chance Schools common to most countries in Europe. The study reveals that in the countries where the SCS approach has been applied, early school leavers’ rates are going down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is a vulnerable species (IUCN) living in open habitats of Central and South-eastern Europe. Translocations (introductions, reintroductions and reinforcements) are commonly used as part of the European ground squirrel (EGS) conservation. There are numerous publications for such activities carried out in Central Europe, but data from South-eastern Europe, where translocations have also been implemented, are still scarce. The present study summarises the methodologies used in the translocations in Bulgaria and analyses the factors impacting their success. Eight translocations of more than 1730 individuals were performed in the period 2010 to 2018. These included 4 reinforcements, 3 reintroductions and 1 introduction. Two of the translocations are still ongoing. Five of the completed six (83%) translocations were successful, although in two cases the number of individuals was critically low. The relatively higher success in Bulgaria than in Central Europe is probably due to using the gained experience. Most of the translocations (6) used a soft release approach. In 6 cases, the animals settled 100 to 720 metres away from the release site, implying management and protection of suitable habitat beyond the translocation area. In 7 of the translocations, the altitude between the donor colony and the release site varied from 470 to 1320 m which could have a hindering effect on the adaptation of animals due to the specific conditions in the mountains. The main reasons for failure are probably poorly selected and maintained habitats and bad climatic conditions (rainy and cool weather) during the translocation action. European funds are of critical importance for translocations, with only two translocations funded by other sources. Based on the gathered data, the current paper also gives some recommendations for improvement in translocation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the vision, strategy and goals set in the Guidelines for sustainable development of the region of North-East Bulgaria, North-West region of the Black Sea. In the focus of analysis are the requirements to the higher education in this region so that the goals set in the Guidelines can be accomplished. Issues concerning higher education at technical universities are raised and solutions suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the recent years, there is an increased interest in the problems of wild mushrooms and medicinal plants in all over the world. An intensive research is currently performed in order to further clarify the peculiarities of numerous edible, toxic and cultivated wild mushrooms and medicinal plants. Both traditional and contemporary knowledge of the population is assessed by means of a variety of ethnomycological and ethnobotanical methods. The manners of usage by the population of wild edible mushroom and medicinal plants are intensively studied in many countries, too. In the present review article, the results from some recent investigations by Bulgarian and foreign authors devoted to the knowledge and use of some popular wild mushrooms and medicinal plants are summarized. The necessity for the intensification of the collaborative ethnomycological and ethnobotanical research in Europe is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores some of the strategic risks (SR) for road freight forwarding companies Examination of some Bulgarian and European policies and guidelines will be performed to show the development of freight forwarding and the challenges presented by the new "White Paper 2020" EU transport to business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinisation is one of the major soil degradation problems for Southern European countries and global warming is expected to increase the threat of secondary salinisation. This paper investigates salinisation in the village of Belozem, Bulgaria. The central argument is that the technical solutions and policy measures need to be backed up by appropriate institutional settings. This paper focuses on the natural and institutional factors involved. Further, it examines the causes driving the current salinisation process in this village. It is based on data collected by means of interviews with local people, and analysis of the existing farming practices and policy. The paper concludes that the new institutional settings do not support the technical decisions implemented in the past, and the implementation of possible new technical measures. The findings of this paper could provide lessons for land conservation policy that may apply beyond the case study region. The implementations of technical solutions need to be supported by appropriate institutions. The formal legislation and the incentive measures might not have the desired impact if cooperation among all participants is not sufficient or if farmers are discouraged from applying because of difficult application procedures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of privatization through foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has been organized around interactions of three legally entitled parties, i.e., foreign investor, host government, and host company. The triadic nature of those interactions is addressed in studying the relationship initiation and development. The FDI privatization relationships and the attempts of the three parties to satisfy their objectives have become critical for the survival and successful development of the privatized entity post-privatization. This paper adopts the analytical concept of the interface between motives, promises and actions in the process of relationship development focusing on the role of market seeking motives and market-related promises and actions in the FDI privatization process. Seven cases from Bulgaria are used to unveil the relative significance of the analyzed interface. When assessing FDI investments in CEE foreign investors should assess not only the macro- and microenvironmental conditions, but also pay particular attention to what parties want to gain and what they say they would bring to the venture. The complementarity, compatibility and congruity of motives, promises and actions are suggested to be essential in the successful development of FDI privatization relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) vaccine policies disparities and effectiveness in Germany, Denmark and Bulgaria, with a view to providing lessons for global vaccination and response to possible outbreak risks. Methods: This study analyzed big data through public information on the official websites of the Ministries of Health of the European Union, Germany, Denmark and Bulgaria and the official websites of the World Health Organization. We systematically summarized the COVID-19 vaccine policies of the three countries, and selected the following six indicators for cross-cutting vaccination comparisons: COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people, COVID-19 vaccination rate, the share of people with fully vaccinated, the share of people only partly vaccinated, cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases per million, cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million. Meanwhile, we selected the following four indicators for measuring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine policy implementation: daily cases per million, daily deaths per million, the effective reproduction rate (Rt), the moving-average case fatality rate (CFR). Results: Although these three EU countries had the same start time for vaccination, and the COVID-19 vaccine supply was coordinated by the EU, there are still differences in vaccination priorities, vaccination types, and vaccine appointment methods. Compared to Germany and Denmark, Bulgaria had the least efficient vaccination efforts and the worst vaccination coverage, with a vaccination rate of just over 30% as of June 2023, and the maximum daily deaths per million since vaccination began in the country was more than three times that of the other two countries. From the perspective of implementation effect, vaccination has a certain effect on reducing infection rate and death rate, but the spread of new mutant strains obviously aggravates the severity of the epidemic and reduces the effectiveness of the vaccine. Among them, the spread of the Omicron mutant strain had the most serious impact on the three countries, showing an obvious epidemic peak. Conclusions: Expanding vaccination coverage has played a positive role in reducing COVID-19 infection and mortality rates and stabilizing Rt. Priority vaccination strategies targeting older people and at-risk groups have been shown to be effective in reducing COVID-19 case severity and mortality in the population. However, the emergence and spread of new variant strains, and the relaxation of epidemic prevention policies, still led to multiple outbreaks peaking. In addition, vaccine hesitancy, mistrust in government and ill-prepared health systems are hampering vaccination efforts. Among the notable ones are divergent types of responses to vaccine safety issue could fuel mistrust and hesitancy around vaccination. At this stage, it is also necessary to continue to include COVID-19 vaccination in priority vaccination plans and promote booster vaccination to prevent severe illness and death. Improving the fairness of vaccine distribution and reducing the degree of vaccine hesitancy are the focus of future vaccination work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Little is known about bat diversity in mountains above 2000 m a. s. l. in Europe. Here, we report data from a study carried out in the high-alpine karst landscape of Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria at an altitude ranging from 2300 to 2600 m a. s. l. Twenty bat species were detected using three inventory methods. Furthermore, we describe the highest bat swarming site in Europe, located at an altitude of 2600 m a. s. l. The study describes a pilot survey on bats in the highest areas of Pirin Mountain. The methods included examining subfossil bone remains, mist-netting, and recording echolocation calls. The study was conducted in August 2002 and 2013 and from 2019 to 2020. While in general, bat diversity tends to decrease with increasing altitude due to harsher environmental conditions, the present study, despite a short period, reveals high diversity. Twenty species, more than half of the Bulgarian bat fauna, were detected. The recording and analysis of vocal signatures proved to be the best way to inventory bat diversity. At least 13 species were detected by this method. Vespertilio murinus and Tadarida teniotis together make up more than 60% of all reliably determined echolocation sequences. Significant activity was found for Myotis myotis/blythii, Plecotus auritus, Eptesicus serotinus, and E. nilssonii. The registration of the latter species is of considerable faunistic interest. It was previously only known from a single specimen at one location in the country. The sex and age structure of the bat assemblage suggests that it is likely a swarming assemblage. The area is the highest swarming location in Europe. The results provide valuable information on bat ecology and behaviour, which can be used to inform management and protection efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and the impacts of anthropogenic activity on climate in Europe is documented in many scientific publications but the investigations about climate impact and particularly urban climate are relatively few for Bulgaria. The present paper investigates the variability of seasonal and annual air temperature in Sofia city and surrounding areas (towns Bankya and Bozhurishte) for the period 1961-2015 based on the linear regression method. In order to investigate the urban heat island (UHI) intensity, the air temperature difference between the city and its surroundings is calculated. The study shows increase of air temperature difference between the city and suburban territories during the recent years. The linkages between the observed variability of air temperature difference and atmospheric circulation and urbanization are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper questions what role should universities have in the twenty-first century society. Historically the development of higher education is closely related to the growth of economy and society and university's mission evolved during the centuries to respond to the changing societal needs. They survived by turning organisational confusion and crisis into opportunities for re-examination, innovation and rejuvenation. The current crisis and the changes we are undergoing can be an opportunity for a new start. However, imagining a new role for universities requires to conceive what kind of society we want to live in, and what are the conditions that will make it possible. In a 'new society', aiming at equity and sustainability, universities will be the cultural reference points for their communities, will have an essential role as a social institution, and will contribute to establishing local social dynamics. Universities will be key organizations and supporters in regional and national innovation system, with a primary role in developing the competitiveness of Europe's economies. Moreover they will have social responsibility and public engagement, linking generations as well as today and tomorrow's workforce, being the educative reference for students, lecturers, and the whole community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study analyzes the motivational factors for ISO 9001 certification in Bulgaria from the internal/external motivations perspective, or the so-called dual model. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a mixed method research approach, which employed two interviews with experts in the field of quality management at the exploratory stage, and a survey involving 127 companies at the descriptive stage. Findings: This study claims that enhanced company image and competitiveness -- an external motivation - is the leading motivational factor for ISO 9001 certification in Bulgaria. At the same time, our primary investigation reveals that Bulgarian firms are not predominantly externally driven, for internal motivations including process improvement and product quality improvement seem to be an important driver for ISO 9001 certification. Last but not least, this research asserts that enhanced company image and competitiveness has a stronger impact on the motivations for ISO 9001 certification than customer and supplier pressure, which is in line with previous research works on developing economy economies such as Bulgaria. Finally, our study indicates a moderate, yet positive correlation between motivations for and benefits of ISO 9001 certification. Social implications: This research work casts some light on the evolution of quality management in Bulgaria since the end of communism, which can serve as an important foundation for the better understanding of quality management in former communist economies in general and Eastern European states in particular. Originality/value: Derived from the acute gap between ISO studies in Western and former communist economies, this research work presents one of the first official, international studies in the field of ISO certification in Bulgaria, and more precisely, a paper describing the motives for ISO 9001 certification among Bulgarian businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the impact of neoliberalism on disability policy and activism. The paper highlights the neoliberalisation of postsocialist disability policy, as well as the convergence between the neoliberal critique of welfare-state paternalism and the advocacy of disabled people’s movement for deinstitutionalisation and direct payments (personal assistance). The discussion is supported by examples from Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. In conclusion, the paper argues that neoliberalism confronts the disabled people’s movement with two difficult tasks: to defend self-determination while criticising market-based individualism, and to defend the welfare state while criticising expert-based paternalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After heavy rains and rapid thaw in February 2012, the dam of an artificial lake broke and the water flooded the village Biser. It took the lives of six people, destroyed 56 houses and damaged many others. What does this flood tell us about society is the general question of this paper. Empirically, it is based on ethnographic fieldwork in Biser and in other Bulgarian villages and small towns that have been flooded over the past ten years as well as on the analysis of publications in the media. The first section of the paper uses as a starting point the conceptual definition of natural disasters as phenomena that occur at the intersection of nature and society. It shows that political, economic and social practices have a share in the causation of floods. Mismanagement or neglect of infrastructure, improper or unauthorized use of reservoirs, illegal exploitation of sand and gravel from the rivers, and disposal of household waste and building rubble in the rivers belong to the “potentially destructive agents” that accumulate problems, create unsafe conditions and generate “natural” disasters. From another theoretical point of view, disasters are conceptualized as “empirical windows upon the inner working of society” that give us insights into values, attitudes, practices, and processes which are dominant in a particular society. In the Bulgarian case, these include indifference and even irresponsibility of politicians, experts, and “common” people towards the public sphere (outdoor space, infrastructure, regulations, laws, common interests, welfare), lack of long-term planning, and focus on short-term profits that is characterized by both disrespect of legal norms and disregard of safety rules and measures. The second section deals with the political use of rescue operations, social assistance, and reconstruction in Biser. Disaster management was simultaneously carried out as a political image campaign and reconstruction became an arena for political activism. The central government pushed itself into the spotlight in the role of local crisis manager. Using the media, politicians focused public attention on their assisting and rebuilding projects (material and financial aid, compensation, reconstruction of damaged houses, construction of new houses). The third section shows how aid and reconstruction caused a new disaster, a social one. The recovering projects and the resource allocation turned into “destructive agents” that triggered social conflicts. The initially single group of flood-affected people was disintegrated into several groups that were defined by the type and the amount of material and financial aid they received. Envy, mutual distrust, competition and even hostility broke out. Since the reconstruction followed a top-down approach and was guided by political decisions, it largely neglected local social reality. It did not return the village back to normal, as the government wanted, but rather it reshaped and restructured the village both physically and socially. Thus the reconstruction has some similarities with the 25 years long post-socialist transition: It created winners and losers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: New preventive technologies such as vaccines offer insight into psychological, social, and cultural landscapes. Providers have a key role in parents' decisions for vaccinating their children. Yet, perspectives from providers regarding the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, or vaccination in general, are rarely sought Purpose: Our objective in this paper is to understand how the HPV vaccine is perceived by health care providers and the multiple contextual meanings it elicits. Methods: We conducted interviews with 20 health care professionals in Bulgaria about their attitudes and practices related to HPV vaccination and their recommendations for policies. The verbatim-transcribed interviews were analyzed through narrative analysis, with a special focus on language. Results: We illustrate providers' contradictory and contextualized constructions of the vaccine and the narrative strategies they use to manage any uncertainty it elicits. These include being advocates and missionaries for preventive health, confirming their trust in the medical profession and professional organizations, challenging patients' concerns with rational explanations, normalizing the risk of medical innovations, and avoiding the sexual nature of HPV transmission. Conclusions: The introduction of a vaccine to prevent HPV infection, and by implication, possibly cervical and other cancers, created hope, and at the same time, intensified confusion and uncertainty. Providers have been frustrated for years with the rising mortality from cervical cancer in Bulgaria, and their perceived powerlessness in affecting this. HPV vaccination, on the other hand, seems relatively simple and 'taming uncertainty' positions them as instrumental in limiting (or even eliminating) morbidity and mortality in future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In European post-socialistic countries or more commonly known as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries, regardless of their differences and specifics, the common communist and post-communist legacies in the field of educational sciences are still recognisable. The aim of this article is to explore research activity in the educational sciences in 15 CEE countries: 11 EU member states and 4 from the former Yugoslav Republic in the period from 1996 to 2013. The purpose of this research is to recognise the specificity and dynamics of subject and content issues, and development of methodological approaches in the educational science research. The sample consists of abstracts of 2,395 papers by CEE authors published in 265 journals indexed in Scopus between 1996 and 2013. Content analysis was applied, where the abstracts were grouped into specifically created categories describing the content and methods of the paper and analysed on the basis of two criterion variables -- CEE and non-CEE or international journals. The ?[superscript 2] test showed that the field of educational sciences in 15 European post-socialist countries changed over time in terms of quantity, content and methods, becoming more expansive and diverse, which is recognisable in papers published both in international and in CEE journals.

This paper analyzes the perspectives of a Euro area membership for Bulgaria by systematizing the reasons for the debt crisis and by reviewing the macroeconomic specificity of Bulgaria. The focus of investigation is on institutional and structural causes of the crisis. Recommendations are made on possible crisis-exit strategies and on the macroeconomic policies Bulgaria should pursue on its way to the adoption of the Euro [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant changes that occur in the new social and media environment create real opportunities for renewing some traditional approaches to media, including the concept of media accountability. This study emphasises the main tendencies and current discussions on self-regulation and media ethics in an era of social change and technological development in selected countries in Central and Eastern Europe. On the basis of available literature as well as in-depth interviews carried out with Bulgarian, Polish and Serbian policy-makers, media managers, journalists and media researchers in November 2010 and December 2010 several trends with respect to the emergence and development of innovations online have been observed. Firstly, the paper aims at defining the notion of media accountability as well as legitimacy of existing practices and institutions. Secondly, an in-depth analysis of the development of new media platforms and Internet users' culture further helps to define some of most significant examples of external and internal practices, strategies and cases in a sense of response for the quality of publication in the online space. Finally, research on the usage of social networks and blogs, as well as on practices fostering actor transparency, production transparency and the level of media responsiveness help to define the current stage and future directions for media accountability development. What are the political, professional and public "frames" of media accountability and transparency? What instruments supporting media accountability have emerged and how can they make media organizations more accountable and transparent to the publics? How can online media respond for the quality of publication? What are the challenges and opportunities created by new media and technologies in Central and Eastern Europe? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related fatalities worldwide and also has a strong impact on atmospheric chemistry (i.e., NOx production). Lightning can also lead to power system breakdowns, ignite forest fires, damage wind turbine and lead to perturbation of transportation, in particular to aviation. Thus, knowing when, where lightning strike and which atmospheric environments are more frequently associated with lightning is important. Furthermore, given the increase in the population density in recent decades (i.e., more people are exposed to lightning) and the increased urbanization (i.e., cities are getting larger and thus are more exposed to lightning) is essential to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of storm producing lightning and their environments in the current climate and their changes in the past and coming decades. To address these issues, in this study we analyze the changes in the number of days with atmospheric conditions leading to lightning over southeastern Europe. Here we consider the non-inductive charging mechanism as the main mechanism for cloud electrification. We search for ingredients supporting for this cloud electrification mechanism using a series of parameters (e.g., convective available potential energy, total precipitable water, heights of various isotherms) obtained from vertical profiles collected from radiosonde sites over southeastern Europe (e.g., Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria). This paper will present the changes between 1980 and 2018 in the number of days with condition supporting the occurrence of lightning in urban areas from southeastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dobrogea's wind energy sector has one of the most auspicious futures in Europe and has been recently targeted by a large number of foreign investors. This paper works towards an understanding of the advantages of using renewable energy (in particular wind energy), while also and presents the importance that the region can play in the sustainable development of the European Union. In addition, a few of the projects that are undergoing will be discussed, as well as their impact on the local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TAYLOR G., PAPADOPOULOS I., DUDAU V., MAERTEN M., PELTEGOVA A. & ZIEGLER M. (2011) Intercultural education of nurses and health professionals in Europe (IENE). International Nursing Review, 188-195 This paper presents the results of a needs analysis carried out during a 2-year European Union-funded project titled 'Intercultural education of nurses and health professionals in Europe'. The study aimed to explore the perceived learning and teaching needs of students and practitioners of health-care professions in relation to preparation for working in another European country and/or in a multicultural environment. The participating countries were: Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Romania and the UK. Questionnaires, consisting of open questions, were completed by a total of 118 participants. Data analysis adopted both a priori and inductive approaches. The predetermined constructs of cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural sensitivity and cultural competence were used to structure suggestions for theoretical input and practical activities and experiences. Inductive analysis revealed other emergent themes that underpin all four of these constructs. Practical experiences form a fundamental part of preparation for labour mobility and/or for practice within a multicultural environment. However, health-care practitioners need to be adequately prepared for such experiences and value the opportunity to learn about culture, to explore values and beliefs, and to practise intercultural skills within the safe environment of an educational establishment, facilitated by skilled teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two decades, all countries in Europe have embarked on substantial health reforms, introducing new models of financing and provision of health services. Using Bulgaria as a case study, this article examines the impact of the reforms on child health services. This is the first of a series of papers drawing on a broader research on inequalities in access to child health services, using Bulgaria as a case study. Multiple methods and data sources were used, including a review of the literature and existing epidemiological data, 50 qualitative in-depth interviews and an analysis of regulatory documents. This article presents the findings of the documentary analysis. Primary health services for children are now provided by general practitioners. Children are exempted from health insurance contributions and user fees and are formally entitled to free health care. During the first years of the reform general practitioners still had insufficient training in child health. Restrictions on the number of referrals to paediatricians and discontinuation of community services at a time when general practice was not well established, undermined access to quality care. While many of these issues have been subsequently addressed, the reform process was far from linear. Challenges remain in ensuring access to quality child health services to the rural population and marginalized groups, such as the Roma minority and children with disabilities. Throughout Europe, health reforms need to be based on solid evidence of what works best for improving quality of and access to child health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative assessment of the current policies on the quality of the non-vocational adult learning staff (NVAL staff), in four south-eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey), The paper focuses on three vital topics: 1. Selection procedure and working conditions of adult learning staff (reference to issues of recruitment, professional expectations and employment situation of the staff involved). 2. Opportunities and obstacles for professional development and evaluation (reference to career paths, monitoring, assessment and evaluation of the professionals involved). 3. Societal situation for the profession (focusing on attractiveness and social impact). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper discusses the European policy concerning access to higher education. It is argued that in this respect the London CommuniquC from May 2007 is of crucial importance. It not only defines the social dimension of higher education as a priority but also sets the very ambitious goal of ensuring a social diversity among students, which reflects the social characteristics of a country's population. The analysis focuses on the two main examples of introducing social dimension of higher education: a) the "social engineering" during totalitarian socialism in Bulgaria and b) the policy of affirmative action in the US and some other countries. During the whole period of "socialist and communist" development, 1944- 1989, higher education had been one of the main factors for modeling society in the direction of reaching a homogeneous society. The variety of means which were used is analyzed: quota system, privileges for different social groups, lowering of the admission criteria for some groups, special support for some social groups, etc. In discussing the affirmative action practices the main arguments in favor and against them are outlined. The paper argues that the issue of access to higher education occupies a central place in every higher education system and that the admission policies are its crucial component. The importance of admission policies stems out of the fact that they are simultaneously and strongly linked to two major university values- social justice and quality of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The databases of children's anthropometric parameters are often outdated, rarely representative and are not always available at an international level. Objectives: To present children's anthropometric parameters in six European countries that contributed to the Feel4Diabetes project and find country-specific differences. Design/Setting: The Feel4Diabetes study was performed between 2016 and 2018, targeting children in Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Spain. The current study presents data from the baseline and the yearly follow-up anthropometric measurements. Subjects: In total, 20,832 measurements of children (48.7% boys) between 6 and 10 years of age were conducted. Main outcome measure: weight, height, BMI. Results: Belgian boys had the lowest body weight and height, while Greek boys had the highest body weight, and Finnish had the highest body height. The highest proportion of overweight (percentile above 85%) and obese boys (percentile above 95%) was in Greece, followed by Hungarian, Spanish, Bulgarian and Finnish boys. In contrast, Belgian boys had the lowest ratio in both categories. Among girls, Greece had the highest; Belgium had the lowest body weight; Finland was the highest in all age categories. The ratio in the overweight range was the highest in Greece, followed by Spanish, Bulgarian and Hungarian girls, who were second in the obese category. Finnish girls had lower and Belgian girls had the lowest ratio in both BMI categories. All the detailed data are presented in tables, and the trends are figures. Conclusions: Our study presents fresh and comparable anthropometric data of children between 6 and 10 years of age in six European countries, supporting the need for appropriate obesity prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings of a multi-country study of medical professionals' perceptions and evaluations of children. The primary aim of the study was to establish the perceptions medical professionals working in three Eastern European countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova) hold toward children identified as “typical”, “at-risk” and “with disability”. A second aim was to explore the existence of country-level differences in medical professionals' perceptions of children. The third aim was to examine the pattern of associations between attitudes toward children and a change in use of institutional care to family and community-based alternatives. Over 800 respondents provided survey responses using paper-based and online returns. Findings indicated that positive affect toward children was associated with the favourability of attributes generated about “typical” children. In contrast, positive affect toward children was associated with less favourability toward at-risk children. Attribute favourability ratings generated for at-risk children were positively associated with attributes generated for children with disability. Differences were identified between respondents working across the three countries. No association was identified between attitudes toward children and endorsement of a statement supportive of de-institutionalisation as part of child protection reforms. These findings illuminate how children are conceptualised and understood by a group of medical professionals who hold considerable sway over decisions and recommendations about their relative risk and vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route is one of the branches of the Belt & Road Initiative. Its importance is growing for political reasons: the war in Ukraine and the pressure from the US to limit Chinese business activity in Europe. If trade links between China and the EU are nevertheless maintained, a TITR with a fulcrum in Azerbaijan could absorb much of the now bottleneck traffic on the northern section of the BRI. Bulgaria will be able to take advantage of this through its infrastructure assets if the EU clarifies its strategy on the BRI and revives the TRACECA programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral health, coupled with rising awareness on the impact that limited dental care coverage has on oral health and general health and well-being, has received increased attention over the past few years. The purpose of the study was to compare the statutory coverage and access to dental care for adult services in 11 European countries using a vignette approach. Methods: We used three patient vignettes to highlight the differences of the dimensions of coverage and access to dental care (coverage, cost-sharing and accessibility). The three vignettes describe typical care pathways for patients with the most common oral health conditions (caries, periodontal disease, edentulism). The vignettes were completed by health services researchers knowledgeable on dental care, dentists, or teams consisting of a health systems expert working together with dental specialists. Results: Completed vignettes were received from 11 countries: Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland (Ireland), Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden. While emergency dental care, tooth extraction and restorative care for acute pain due to carious lesions are covered in most responding countries, root canal treatment, periodontal care and prosthetic restoration often require cost-sharing or are entirely excluded from the benefit basket. Regular dental visits are also limited to one visit per year in many countries. Beyond financial barriers due to out-of-pocket payments, patients may experience very different physical barriers to accessing dental care. The limited availability of contracted dentists (especially in rural areas) and the unequal distribution and lack of specialised dentists are major access barriers to public dental care. Conclusions: According to the results, statutory coverage of dental care varies across European countries, while access barriers are largely similar. Many dental services require substantial cost-sharing in most countries, leading to high out-of-pocket spending. Socioeconomic status is thus a main determinant for access to dental care, but other factors such as geography, age and comorbidities can also inhibit access and affect outcomes. Moreover, coverage in most oral health systems is targeted at treatment and less at preventative oral health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present findings from an original dataset on collective action in the protest arenas of Bulgaria and Slovenia in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, 2009-2017. Unlike other empirical studies which focus either on particular social movements or individual-level measurements, this dataset consists of all reports of collective action in the form of protests demonstrations, strikes, blockades, occupations, sit-ins, marches, petitions etc., derived from the national Bulgarian and Slovenian press agencies, including information about claims and actors. Along with a description of the data collection, techniques, and coding, the article identifies the phases of protest cycles and explores general protest patterns. The findings depict three distinct periods of activity in Bulgaria and Slovenia: the ascending phase of protest cycle involving immediate protest responses against austerity measures (2009-2011), massive anti-establishment discontent involving the dominant role of new informal protest movements (2012-2013), and the de-mobilization phase of mass protest and the rise of contention about cultural issues (since 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper questions some of the premises in studying academic spin-offs in developed countries, claiming that when taken as characteristics of "academic spin-offs per se," they are of little help in understanding the phenomenon in the Eastern European countries during the transitional and post-transitional periods after 1989. It argues for the necessity of adopting a path-dependent approach, which takes into consideration the institutional and organisational specificities of local economies and research systems and their evolution, which strongly influence the patterns of spin-off activity. The paper provides new findings and original arguments in support of Balazs' seminal theses (Balazs 1995, 1996) about the emergence of academic spin-offs during the early transition. It reveals key economic and policy mechanisms bearing on academic entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe, such as the tensions between economic and political nomenclatures of former Communist Parties, where the dismantling or preservation of the power of political nomenclature resulted in different patterns of development--rapid reforms in the "first wave" of EU accession countries or the establishment of rent-seeking and assets-stripping economies in countries like Bulgaria and Romania, making the transition period especially difficult. In the latter, a specific economic environment emerged, unknown in Western Europe and in the "champions" of transition--such as suppression of the authentic entrepreneurship in a number of economic sectors, disintegration of corporate structures, etc. Thus, the paper reveals the common ground behind the two conflicting tendencies in post-socialist academic spin-offs, partially outlined in other research (Simeonova 1995; Pavlova 2000): as an authentic form of academic entrepreneurship grasping the opportunities opened up by the economic crisis and compensating failures in science and technology policy on the one hand, and as specific rent-seeking strategy draining valuable public assets on the other (the latter, in turn, boosting the negative attitudes in local scientific communities). The paper provides new findings about the evolution of the academic spin-offs in Bulgaria along the two polar trends and their positive and negative repercussions on parent research institutions. The results were achieved in the PROKNOW Project, EC 6th Framework Program.