site.btaSurvey Finds Three Major Risks for Bulgaria in Coming Decade - Poorer Education and Healthcare, Population Decline

National expert survey identifies the ten major risks facing Bulgaria in the coming decade, ranking poor education, healthcare and population decline as the top three. The Ten Years, Ten Risks Facing Bulgaria report was authored by Dr. Valentin Saykov, Chairman of Citizens' Initiative Bulgaria 2050, and Prof. Borislav Borisov, chairman of the Chamber of Higher Education Teachers, with the participation of members of both organizations.

Bulgaria's top ten risks for the next decade are:

• Education system deterioration, reflected in increasing dropout rates, poor results in tests, exams, national and international competitions, poor financial condition of school units, poor motivation of teachers and lecturers.
• Further deterioration of the demographic situation in the country.
• An unreformed and inefficient health care system.
• Maintaining an unacceptably high level of corruption.
• Increased misinformation and manipulation of public opinion.
• Emergence of a crisis of statehood (political instability, ineffectiveness of state institutions, distrust in the executive).
• Increasing distrust in the rule of law.
• Deepening polarization of society.
• Negative impact of geopolitical conflicts on Bulgaria.
• Loss of national identity, manifesting itself in a process of disenfranchisement of the younger generations and alienation of broad ethnic and social groups from the Bulgarian nation.

There is no comprehensive document to systematize and assess all the long-term risks facing Bulgaria, Borisov noted. The present study aims to fill the gap. It summarizes the opinions of experts from different fields and is made through a questionnaire covering 21 potential risks in the areas of economic development, demographic situation, technological progress, social aspects, political situation, environment, influence of external factors and others. The methodology for determining their rating includes assessments of risks according to two criteria - probability of occurrence and significance.