Your Source of Expert Economic & Legal Insights from Bulgaria and the Region

Welcome to this month’s update! In this edition, we recap the key events of 2024 for Bulgaria and look ahead at what’s to come. We also highlight new analyses from the Institute for market economics on the judiciary and the nursing shortage. Plus, check out the ranking of our most-read articles and reports from 2024.

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The Events of 2024 and The Way Forward

Bulgaria enters 2025 without a regular government or an adopted budget, but with full membership in Schengen and a real opportunity to adopt the euro. On the domestic political scene, 2024 was a lost year, marked by chaotic votes increasing budget spending in parliament and institutional paralysis. Political instability has exerted immense pressure on the public finances, raising concerns about the country's fiscal stability. However, the economy performed better than expected, breaking out of its slowdown with economic activity accelerating throughout the year. Take a look at the key events of 2024 and the path ahead, as seen through the eyes?of?the?IME.

New from IME

• Legal Еducation and The Judiciary: One Way of Creating Judicial Nomenclature

This week, IME published a study examining the role of law school graduates in shaping Bulgaria's judiciary. It explores whether a concentration of judicial leadership from a few universities limits pluralism and impacts the transparency of senior judicial appointments. For a detailed analysis, read the full report here.

• 10 Solutions to The Shortage of Nurses

Another analysis from December stresses the urgent need to address Bulgaria's critical shortage of medical nurses. It emphasizes the negative impact on healthcare quality and calls for reforms in training, working conditions, and policy. Immediate action is necessary to prevent further strain on the healthcare system. Read more here

Still in 2024?

Here you will find the ranking of the most-read articles and reports by IME for the last year:

Articles:

1. Is it Time for a Second Mandatory Final Exam in Mathematics?
2. Industrial Municipalities Once Again Lead the Country in Salaries
3. Solutions to the Problem with Nurses Exist – Copy the Teachers, but Act Quickly
4. The Draft State Budget Puts the Economy Under Pressure and Threatens Fiscal Sustainability
5. Construction Sector Leads, Teachers Overtake Healthcare Workers in Labor Demand
6. The People in the Ministry of Interior (MoI) are Many, but There Is a Shortage of Police Officers – Especially in the Northwest
7. The Gap Between the Number of Doctors and Nurses Continues to Widen
8. In 2022 Bulgarian Municipalities Returned to Rapid Economic Growth
9. Demographics of Municipalities: In 2023 Big Cities Gain Population
10. New Low for Lifelong Learning in Bulgaria
11. For the Constitutional Court: Dissenting Opinions as 'An Appeal to the Intelligence of a Future Day' and Beyond
12. In Search of Budget Tolerance
13. The Judicial Inspectorate Model: An Open or Closed Judiciary?
14. Trends in the Bulgarian industry – expansion of high value-added manufacturing

Reports:

1. Regional profiles 2024: Economic growth, but with increasing inequality
2. IME White Paper: Unlocking growth: the way forward after the elections
3. Financial state of Bulgarian hospitals: Revenues and expenditures, assets and liabilities of state and municipal hospitals

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