In 10 years, northern Bulgaria has lost a fifth of its population

Over the past ten years, between 2009 and 2019, northern Bulgaria has lost a fifth of its population, and especially the Vidin region, a quarter. This was reported by the Market Economy Institute during the presentation of the regional economic development of northern Bulgaria.

In northern Bulgaria, only Varna during this period has population growth, but it is not natural, but due to mechanical growth. The data is up to the end of 2019 and it is possible that when the census passes this fall, it will turn out that in the conditions of the pandemic in 2020, other areas have mechanical population growth. Otherwise, with these data it turns out that in Vidin, Vratsa and Montana there is not even a mechanical increase in population, said IME principal investigator Peter Ganev.

In general, there is no district in Bulgaria that has a natural population growth, but the worst situation is in Vidin, where every year in the latter 16% of the population is lost.

The lack of good roads in northern Bulgaria definitely has a negative impact on economic development, the IME said. It is not only about the Hemus highway, which will connect the capital directly with Varna, but also about the Ruse-Veliko Tarnovo highway, the Vidin-Botevgrad highway, the tunnel under Shipka, and even the Black Sea, which will eventually connect Varna. with Burgas. “Southern Bulgaria has” Thrace “, which connects the capital with Plovdiv, Stara Zagora and Burgas and” Maritsa “, which connects us with Turkey. In the north of Bulgaria we will have to wait for that connectivity, but also for greater use from the Danube river. We are always interested in the Danube in terms of how many places we can cross, but it is also a road and it must be made in a way that is navigable in all seasons of the year, “Ganev said.

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