Reform In Bulgaria Research Articles

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECTS OF LAND FRAGMENTATION ON BULGARIAN AGRICULTURE

Historically proven fact is that land fragmentation is a logical consequence of each land reform. The ownership restitution of land on small noncontiguous and spatially dispersed parcels prevents establishing of viable and profi table farms and hence becomes a holdback to an effi cient agriculture. This negative effect becomes increasingly stronger. The small land parcels impede applying of new technologies and production models, as well as the labor and machines’ efficient use. The scattered parcels make diffi cult the planned operation of land. Notwithstanding the land reform in Bulgaria is already completed, the resulting fragmentation continues to exist and exerts negative impact on the rural regions’ sustainable development. Improvement of these areas’ means of living is connected with the effi ciency of resource use, which may be achieved through land consolidation and territorial planning. The purpose of this study is to analyze the economic and social effects of fragmentation on agriculture in Bulgaria.

Reforming health care financing in Bulgaria: the population perspective

Health financing reform in Bulgaria has been characterised by lack of political consensus on reform direction, economic shocks, and, since 1998, steps towards social insurance. As in other eastern European countries, the reform has been driven by an imperative to embrace new ideas modelled on systems elsewhere, but with little attention to whether these reflect popular values. This study explores underlying values, such as views on the role of the state and solidarity, attitudes to, and understanding of compulsory and voluntary insurance, and co-payments. The study identifies general principles (equity, transparency) considered important by the population and practical aspects of implementation of reform. Data were obtained from a representative survey ( n=1547) and from 58 in-depth interviews and 6 focus groups with users and health professionals, conducted in 1997 before the actual reform of the health financing system in Bulgaria. A majority supports significant state involvement in health care financing, ranging from providing safety net for the poor, through co-subsidising or regulating the social insurance system, to providing state-financed universal free care (half of all respondents). Collectivist values in Bulgaria remain strong, with support for free access to services regardless of income, age, or health status and progressive funding. There is strong support (especially among the well off) for a social insurance system based on the principle of solidarity and accountability rather than the former tax-based model. The preferred health insurance fund was autonomous, state regulated, financing only health care, and offering optional membership. Voluntary insurance and, less so, co-payments were acceptable if limited to selected services and better off groups. In conclusion, a health financing system under public control that fits well with values and population preferences is likely to improve compliance and be more sustainable. Universal health insurance appears to attract most support, but a broader public debate involving less empowered people is needed to resolve misunderstandings and create realistic expectations.

Health reform in Bulgaria and its impact on industrial relations in the health sector

Health reform in Bulgaria and its impact on industrial relations in the health sector

Measuring the welfare costs of EU accession

We analyze possible reforms to the Bulgarian VAT system, evaluating revenue‐neutral reallocations of goods to tax bands within the existing 2‐rate structure. We investigate the sensitivity of the results to behavioural response and imperfect tax recovery. We find only a weak case for the use of non‐uniform VAT rate structures for redistributional purposes. Selective VAT exemptions can produce approximate welfare gains equivalent to a general price fall of much less than 1 per cent for plausible specifications of social welfare.JEL classification: D31, J31, P24.

A critical review of primary health care reform in Bulgaria: impact on consumers

AbstractThe Health Care System in Bulgaria is in a period of transition and is undergoing profound changes in financing, organization and ownership. A priority of this reform is to shift the focus of healthcare to the primary sector and to emphasize general practice. New legislation in support of this health care reform has been passed over the last few years. However, this legislation, although consistent with the global aims to be achieved, has proven to be contradictory in terms of its practical implementation. This has had a negative impact on health care consumers’ interests and rights. This paper evaluates the effects of primary health care reform in Bulgaria from the perspective of patient satisfaction. For this purpose, a major task to be fulfilled is to identify the contradictions emerging between the legislation outlining the reforms and the realities of practical implementation with respect to its impact on consumers. The methods applied include: a review of the legislation, a review of the practical progression of the reform process, and an assessment of the new developments in health care consumers’ interests and rights. Considerable contradictions have been found between the legal framework of health care reform in primary care and existing experiences, traditions and expectations. The legislation is inconsistent with the existing realities of healthcare provision. This is leading to turmoil in the health care system during its present transformation and is infringing upon consumers’ rights. Problems emerging in the process of reform need to be identified, and solutions need to be found and worked out as the reforms progress. An assessment system has to be developed to monitor the overall reform process and to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the changes introduced. The impact on consumer and patient satisfaction should be an area of prime concern during these assessments.

A critical review of primary health care reform in Bulgaria: impact on consumers

A critical review of primary health care reform in Bulgaria: impact on consumers

Health care reforms in Bulgaria: An initial appraisal

Bulgaria is in the process of re-structuring its health care system from one based on command and control to one founded on pluralism. This paper explores the way this transformation is taking place from the comparative perspective of the health care reforms being implemented in Britain and elsewhere. It draws out the lessons that there may be for Bulgaria based on western European experience and concludes with an assessment of the applicability and desirability of relying on the experience of other countries as a precursor for policy development and formulation in another.

Civil‐military relations and military reform in Bulgaria

Civil‐military relations and military reform in Bulgaria

Enterprise and fiscal reform in Bulgaria

The collapse of the former socialist economies in Eastern Europe and the abandonment of state planning in favour of the market through privatization of former state assets poses fiscal dilemmas for the governments concerned, as is illustrated by the case of Bulgaria. The loss of the traditional profits‐tax revenue while social security pressures on the budget remain in place presents an acute budget problem. The introduction of new taxation systems, and the administrative mechanisms to enforce them, is an urgent requirement; even then eliminating the fiscal gap requires substantial growth. Enterprise and financial reforms should therefore not be delayed, despite their initial adverse impact on the budget.

Potential implications for productivity of land reform in Bulgaria

This paper analyses the possible out-come for productivity of the post-1991 land reform in Bulgaria. Critical determinants are the proportion of landowners who attempt to create family farms, the pace of creation of new private producer cooperatives or farming companies, the relationship between farm size and productivity and the variables which strengthen or weaken this relationship. The discussion suggests that even after land reform the major share of land and output will remain on a relatively small number of larger farms, and, provided appropriate market incentives exist, the expected gains in technical efficiency from a less polarized farm structure will be reinforced by other factors including labour market, credit and technical change. Productivity in Bulgarian agriculture has the capacity to increase as a result of the land reform. Thus with the same resources there could be an increase in output, relieving worries about security of food supplies.

Housing policy reform in Bulgaria

This article describes how Bulgaria has gone further than other former communist East European countries in transforming its housing sector from a central to a market economy. It also identifies actions needed to expedite the process including: the removal of remaining legal and institutional constraints on the housing market; the creation of a workable housing finance system; improved use and condition of the existing housing stock; and design of workable and financially realistic policies and programmes for lowincome groups. Recommendations are preceded by descriptions of Bulgaria's economic setting, housing production and finance, ownership and tenure patterns, and housing quality.

Economic reform in Bulgaria 1989–93

Economic reform in Bulgaria 1989–93

The Bulgarian executive: Promoter or obstacle to the economy?

AbstractHow well are Bulgarian managers adapting to the advent of market economy in the former socialist state? Part of the difficulty lies in a lack of practical business knowledge on the part of managers. Also, many executives are reluctant to give up a system that they know. Ultimately, the future of economic reform in Bulgaria will hinge on how willing managers are to integrate change.

Between economy and ideology: Local‐level perspectives on political and economic reform in Bulgaria

Between economy and ideology: Local‐level perspectives on political and economic reform in Bulgaria

Social and Economic Reform in Bulgaria: Economic Democracy and Problems of Change in Industrial Relations

Both the new labour code and the new regulation on economic activity are intended to introduce significant social and economic change. This study investigates the nature of these legal and administrative changes and the extent to which their implementation has been (or will be) successful in decentralizing economic decision-making, democratizing industrial relations and in improving both motivation and efficiency.

Environmental education, research and practice, in Bulgaria

Educational reforms in Bulgaria over recent years, have permitted a new and definitive environmental education programme to be introduced. This programme is particularly related to nature conservation. The programme has had an important impact on the whole secondary school curriculum and has also influenced the patterns of teacher training.

Two Cycles of Reform in Bulgaria

Two Cycles of Reform in Bulgaria

Economic Reform in Bulgaria: Coping with “The kj Problem”

This chapter discusses the standard ways of classifying economic reforms and reviews developments in Bulgarian reforms to try and place Bulgaria within the traditional classification. It describes the kj problem—the problem of too many central controls (the ks ) and too many production units (the j's ) to control. Operating under the streamlined centralized system with decomposition (SCSD), the Bulgarian economy in 1979 generated the highest growth rate in Eastern Europe. The planned economic effect of the SCSD was to generate increased planning efficiency by reducing the number and changing the nature of the control figures to make them more internally consistent and to generally reduce the amount of detail handled at the centre. One way of reducing the size of the kj problem was to reduce the size of j’ , that is, reducing the number of production units, which is horizontal integration. This generated a horizontally reduced problem. No economic system or system of economic management is immune to the extreme stress that the developments in the raw materials and energy sectors in the 1970s placed on them.

Stambolisky’s Reforms in Bulgaria

Essay| May 01 1921 Stambolisky’s Reforms in Bulgaria Eleanor Markell Eleanor Markell Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Current History (1921) 14_Part-1 (2): 272–277. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.1921.14P1.2.272 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Eleanor Markell; Stambolisky’s Reforms in Bulgaria. Current History 1 May 1921; 14_Part-1 (2): 272–277. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.1921.14P1.2.272 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentCurrent History Search This content is only available via PDF. © 1921 by The Regents of the University of California1921 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.