This article contains a short review of some of the most significant studies in the area of formal demography completed by researchers from the BAS demography research unit. The review covers a 30-year period of existence of the unit (1990 – today) and includes only a fraction of the the most important scientific contributions significant for the development of demography, for the explanation of Bulgaria’s demographic development and for the improvement of the society’s evolution. The results obtained indicate that the studies considered treat the most acute demographic problems faced by the country in the last decades, arising from the established regime of demographic reproduction.

The aim of the study is to outline the similarities and differences in fertility intentions of the contemporary young generations in Bulgaria. The analysis is focused on the people in reproductive age belonging to different social groups defined by ethnicity, education, social origin etc. Data from European Social Survey-2010 are used. This wave of the survey includes а question about fertility intentions in the near future (next three years). Based on these data a descriptive analysis of the similarities and differences in fertility intentions among the respondents from different social groups defined by gender, age, marital status, ethnicity and education was done. Descriptive statistical analysis as well as two logistic regression models in which the significance of the social differences among the respondents are applied. The results show that age, marital status, number of children, ethnicity, education and health status have strong differentiating effect on individuals’ intentions of having a child in near future.

Bulgaria’s working-age population is steadily declining both in absolute numbers and in relative terms, following the sustained trend of depopulation of the country after its census in 1985. In the sectors of industry, agriculture and services. Labor shortages have gradually become a major deterrent to investors, whose manifestations are particularly severe in the most depressed regions of the country. This publication examines these negative processes through the prism of regional disparities in the rate of decline or increase in working-age population over the period 2001-2018 during the study period and to look for relationships between the development of this negative process and the indicators for the demographic development of Bulgaria over the last two decades.

This publication is aimed at estimating trends in the number and structure of the long-term unemployed and discouraged persons in the country in the period 2003-2017 as well as at discussing the necessity of reforms regarding labour market policy in order to create sustainable conditions for their employment and, therefore, to reduce unemployment. Data provided by the National Statistical Institute and the National Employment Agency are used in the analysis conducted. Long-term unemployment rates (total and by sex), the registered long-term unemployed number and structures by age, educational level and their participation in different policy measures, schemes and programmes are analysed. The dynamics of the discouraged workers by sex, age, education level and reasons to quit work are also traced in the article. This article examines the specificities of the relationship between the acquired education and professional qualifications and the economic activity. It aims at showing the importance of the economically active population’ seducation in modern society as a basic prerequisite for entering and remaining in the labour market. The emphasis in the article is put on the higher age groups because the lack of appropriate education, professional qualifications and work experience of older workers are the main reasons for their unfavourable condition of the labour market. The results of the study confirm the necessity to prevent social exclusion and improve the quality of life for these age groups, as well as to build a smooth transition from the passive state of living on unemployment benefits to their sustainable integration in employment providing their future pension rights.

This paper aims at identifying the existing capacity among the inhabitants of three fragile communities in Bulgaria and to highlight the prospects for their socio-economic development. The results of a conducted under an Erasmus+ funded project survey and organised semi-structured interviews with members of the three fragile communities selected to participate in the project in the country, namely: the town of Knezha, the town of Roman and the village of Dolna Beshovitsa, are presented, discussed and analysed. The results of the study clearly show that, despite the fact that their environment has been deteriorating and has reached a situation characterised as “fragile”, the community members still possess the potential to responsibly and autonomously employ a set of preselected skills for reversing the negative trend and to succeed in contributing for the betterment of their communities.

The article analyses and evaluates the scale and territorial differences of dropout students, ranked by degree of education, determining the values of indicators that measure the percentage of enrolled students of the respective age groups from the population of the same age group of a territorial unit. These indicators measure the scale of students’ enrolment in the school education system. The scale of occurrence of “dropping out of school education” is measured. Territorial differences of dropping out by causes for dropping out and degree of education are established. The changes in the differences are considered and alternations in the scale of dropping out of education are analysed by grade groups, causes for dropping out and regions for the entire period studied. Suggestions for appropriate policies and measures to achieve a minimum relative share of school dropouts have been made. Measures for limiting the number of school dropout have been undertaken by the Ministry of Education.