The reduction of the Bulgarian population to a level below 7,000,000 is the most regretful demographic development of 2012

The reduction of the Bulgarian population to a 1947 level below 7 million people was identified as the most lamentable demographic development of 2012, said Iskren Veselinov, Chairperson of the Center for Demographic Policy, cited by BGNES.

The think tank has performed a survey the results of which have become the basis for a list of the 10 bleakest demographic trends in the country. Using methods devised by Peter Ivanov, a psychology professor, the authors of the list compiled the necessary data from domestic and foreign sources, including the National Statistics Institute, the Ministry of Health, the Employment Agency etc. “Remarkably, these events are being ignored by the political parties and the state authorities”, Veselinov said during a visit to Rousse.

“According to reports from a number of influential international institutions, we are one of the poorest, sickest, most corrupt and unhappiest nations, well on our way of joining the Third World and eventually disappearing altogether. By being inclined to ignore everything and anything that could jeopardise their struggle for power, policymakers in Sofia have turned a blind eye  to all of this for years,” Veselinov said. The second spot in this unfortunate ranking is for the number of newborn babies, which has dropped 17.5% in the last two years. Bulgaria is the European country with the highest mortality rate (14.32%). There are 183 completely deserted villages. In 1,398 towns and villages, or 26,2% of all settlements in the country, ethnic Bulgarians have become a minority. The second half of the ranking consists of other worrisome facts. According to the centre, Bulgaria has the highest unemployment rate in Europe (the official number is 11% but the real rate is 25%). The government spending on benefits for the Roma population has reached BGN 3.2 bn. Social unrest is growing, along with its manifestations such as roadblocks and demonstrations in the streets, increasing 21% in 2012, compared to the previous year. In terms of prosperity, the country has slid to 140th, between Chad and Senegal, of 155 countries overall. The last place in the Top 10 list is occupied by the diminishing National IQ Score, Bulgarians now find themselves in 47th place.

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