site.btaMore than Half of Bulgarians Not Concerned about Financial Situation of Their Households, Their Job Situation - Survey

A Eurobarometer survey released by the European Commission on Thursday shows that 56% of Bulgarians are not concerned about the financial situation of their households or their job situation.

On average in the EU, 72% are not concerned about their family finances and 63% are not worried about their personal job situation. According to 67% of Bulgarians and 58% of the rest of EU citizens, the situation of the economy in their country is bad. Asked about their expectations for the economic situation in their country for the next 12 months, 24% of respondents in Bulgaria (and 21% in the rest of the EU) said it will improve and 34% (and 40% in the rest of the EU) believe it will remain the same. Responses were similar when it comes to the expectations about the employment situation. Twenty-nine per cent of Bulgarians (19% of the rest of EU citizens) are optimistic about the way European economy will develop, 31% (45% in the rest of the EU) expect no change, and 16% (26% in the rest of the EU) believe it will become worse.

Asked to name the two most important issues facing the EU at the moment, respondents put the war in Ukraine and immigration at the top of the list. They identified inflation and the economic situation as the biggest challenges facing their countries.

Half of respondents, 49% in the EU and 52% in Bulgaria, trust the EU institutions; 36% in the EU and 17% in Bulgaria have confidence in their national parliaments. Trust in governments stands at 33% on average in the EU and 19% in Bulgaria.

The EU conjures up a positive image for 53% of Bulgarians and 44% of the rest of the EU. Asked about the most important tasks facing the EU in the next five years, Bulgarians put the economy first (34%), together with social equality (32%), and security and defence (31%). In the averaged responses for the EU, security and defence ranked first (34%), followed by environmental protection (30%) and health (26%).

Asked what EU action would have the highest positive impact on their lives in the short term, respondents put ensuring peace and stability first.