Bulgaria is decreasing by 110 people per day and by 4.6 people per hour –

/ world today news/ Demographic policy is not done with right-wing measures

„In recent years, Bulgaria has been decreasing annually by about 40 thousand people. Every year a city like Kyustendil disappears. At these rates, Bulgaria is decreasing by 110 people per day and by 4.6 people per hour. If this is not changed, after ten years the population of the country will melt to 6.6 million people”. This was stated from the parliamentary rostrum by the leader of the BSP, Mikhail Mikov, in a statement on behalf of the parliamentary group of socialists. According to him, the severe demographic problems are the result of failure to fulfill the basic constitutional functions of the state to guarantee social security and reduce social inequalities. “Demographic policy is not done with right-wing measures”, Mikov was categorical. He addressed the rulers saying that under their rule the state has abdicated its obligations and has currently reduced its redistributive activity to levels of about 37-38% or about 10-12% less than the average European levels. “In times of crisis, limiting the state’s redistributive function only leads to more poverty and inequality. But it doesn’t solve any problem. The demographic crisis has reached a level where it is already becoming a threat to the statehood and democratic order in Bulgaria”, said the chairman of the BSP. He recalled that, at the proposal of the left, the Parliament obliged the Council of Ministers to develop and submit to the National Assembly short- and medium-term measures to overcome the demographic crisis by November 30. “Today is the 4th of December and it apparently didn’t happen. The Minister of Social Affairs only mentions that he will make a strategy, but when this strategy is implemented, there may not be any citizens left to enjoy it in Bulgaria”, Mikov added. He continued that in the adopted budget there are no solutions to the causes and consequences of the demographic crisis – population decline, poverty, unemployment, inequalities, lack of perspective, economic uncertainty, territorial imbalance. “This is irresponsible behavior of the government and the majority. This shows how little the administration is concerned about Bulgaria’s problems today”, said the BSP leader.

Mikov stated that the only social corrective of this government is the interest of millions of Bulgarians – Bulgarians who want a different future for Bulgaria and all parties that call themselves nationally responsible must join urgent measures to overcome the demographic catastrophe in Bulgaria. “We from BSP LEFT BULGARIA propose such measures, we also proposed them during the adoption of the budget, but they were lightly rejected by the majority. We will continue because this is in the interest of Bulgaria and the millions of Bulgarian citizens who want to have a future here in Bulgaria”, concluded Mihail Mikov.

The full text of the declaration:

DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT,

DEAR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES,

At the opening of this session, from our parliamentary group we addressed a declaration with which we wanted to draw the attention of all people’s representatives – both those in power and those who, in front of the people, are not part of the coalition, but participate in the government and support, as necessary, and also the opposition parties, to a problem, the overcoming of which depends on the future of Bulgaria. I am talking about the demographic crisis – about the speed with which the Bulgarian nation is melting; about the increasingly distinct loss of our nation’s ability to reproduce itself at a pace that would provide perspective for the country’s future beyond a few decades.

At the end of the year, after more than a year of right-wing rule and two restrictive budgets with few updates, the situation is disturbing. Because demographic policy cannot be done with right-wing measures.

Today, Bulgarians are decreasing. In recent years, Bulgaria has been decreasing annually by about 40 thousand people. Every year a city like Kyustendil disappears. At these rates, Bulgaria is decreasing by 110 people per day and by 4.6 people per hour. If this is not changed, after ten years the country’s population will melt to 6.6 million people.

Social security payments have been frozen, because the amount of the payment was frozen when the first child was born this year as well. The amount of payment for a third child has been increased minimally, but what young person will set out to outline such a prospect before him on such low incomes?

Today, Bulgarians are getting older and Bulgaria is one of the countries with the lowest birth rate among the EU member states. In 2014, the birth rate was 9.4 ‰ against an average of 10.4 ‰ for the EU. And it cannot be otherwise, as long as the state does not implement any policy to stimulate the birth rate.

Bulgaria has the highest death rate among all EU member states. In 2014, the mortality rate was 15.1‰, which is four per thousand higher than the EU average (11.1‰). In our country, more than 8 out of every 1,000 live births do not reach the age of 1. This is nearly twice as high as the EU average. It cannot be otherwise in a country that has an extreme market policy in health care.

The ongoing migration processes of young people up to 30 years further strengthen the tendency of the nation to age. Because the pride of low taxes and low incomes kills the prospects of development for the qualified youth of Bulgaria, because the open European Union gives them many more opportunities for income and for a normal life – for them, for their families. This is how the economic development of Bulgaria is threatened.

Fewer and fewer Bulgarians have access to healthcare. The governing rightists have carried out an absurd reform from the point of view of human rights and modern standards, according to which people in Bulgaria are now divided into socially significant and socially insignificant. If you have money, you get treatment. You don’t have it – you’re waiting. Permanently isolated from the health care system are all those who, for one reason or another, have obligations. Fewer and fewer people have access to treatment, but the health budget, which has increased by over 1,000% in ten years, remains the same – over BGN 4 billion per year.

There is no reason to be proud that the health budget has not been reduced, since the people for whose benefit it will be spent are significantly fewer, hundreds of thousands fewer than before. Next year’s budget replicated the dismal status quo: the wealthy few insure their health, and the players in public procurement procedures are insured, but all at the backs and at the expense of the people. This is where the high mortality rates come from, with which Bulgaria is an unfortunate leader in Europe.

Bulgarians do not receive the necessary education

This year, over 13,000 Bulgarians did not start first grade because they are outside Bulgaria. Several tens of thousands more students cannot continue their primary and secondary education for the same reasons – because we lack prospects and are looking for their chance outside Bulgaria. Separately, 20% of preschool and school-aged children do not attend school at all. And the share of premature leavers is one of the highest in the EU.

The number of students who stop their studies in the country due to going abroad is increasing. They are an average of 26% of the total leavers for the last few years.

The most common reasons leading to dropping out of school are as a result of the economic emigration of parents abroad, the low standard of living in some families, not being included in the preschool education and training system, etc.

In the last three years alone, 55 state and municipal schools have been closed and converted as part of what some call “optimization of the school network”. A highly alarming process that requires analysis and policy review.

However, the budget for next year foresees a sustainable reduction of funds for education by 8.5 million BGN per year and redirection of state money to private schools.

And why are we closing public and municipal schools after pouring significant public resources into private ones?

In our country, preparing for school is the most expensive in all of Europe. 338 BGN is needed for the first-income earners, and no less than 488 BGN for the upper classes. How will all those several hundred thousand working poor, whom today’s administration has denied the opportunity to recover their income tax, afford these amounts? And why did you never wish for incentives to be provided for children after the 1st grade in the next year’s budget?

DEAR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES,

Severe demographic problems are the result of failure to fulfill the basic constitutional functions of the state to guarantee social security and reduce social inequalities. Under your right-wing government, the state has abdicated its obligations and has currently reduced its redistributive activity to levels of around 37-38%, or around 10-12% less than average European levels. In times of crisis, limiting the redistributive function of the state only leads to more poverty and inequality. But it doesn’t solve any problem. The demographic crisis has reached a level where it is already becoming a threat to the statehood and democratic order in Bulgaria. And this threat becomes more and more tangible with the inaction of the ruling majority.

I remind you that the National Assembly, on our proposal, obliged the Council of Ministers to develop and submit to the National Assembly short-term and medium-term measures to overcome the demographic crisis in the Republic of Bulgaria by November 30.

Today is December 4th and that apparently didn’t happen. The Minister of Social Affairs only mentions that he will make a strategy, but when this strategy is implemented, there may not be any citizens left in Bulgaria to enjoy it.

Because I say again: demographic policy is not done with right-wing measures.

In this budget, there are no solutions to the causes and consequences of the demographic crisis – population decline, poverty, unemployment, inequalities, lack of perspective, economic uncertainty, territorial imbalance. This is irresponsible behavior of the government and the majority. This shows how little the administration is concerned about Bulgaria’s problems today.

DEAR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE’S REPRESENTATIVES,

Where is this justification for the demographic crisis measures in the adopted budget? Quite the opposite – a budget of financial stability and a budget of extreme instability of the demographic outlook for Bulgaria. In this situation, we from the BSP LEFT BULGARIA state categorically: “the only social corrective of this government is the interest of millions of Bulgarians – Bulgarians who want a different future for Bulgaria and all parties that call themselves nationally responsible must engage in urgent measures for overcoming the demographic catastrophe in Bulgaria. We from BSP LEFT BULGARIA propose such measures, we also proposed them during the adoption of the budget, but they were lightly rejected by the majority. We will continue from here, because this is the interest of Bulgaria and the millions of Bulgarian citizens who want to have a future here in Bulgaria.

04.12.2015

the city of Sofia