Poverty and Unemployment in Northwestern Bulgaria – Status, Trends and Regional Differences

In the conditions of the socio-economic changes in the country over the past 33 years, one of the main problems of Northwestern Bulgaria is economic backwardness and population aging, which do not create conditions for effective functioning of the labor market and increase vacancies. The standard of living of a large part of the population in this part of the country has dropped significantly and led to progressive impoverishment. Even trade and services there are also not efficient enough to create good conditions for maintaining a good balance between labor supply and demand due to population decline, persistently low incomes and poverty. This article analyzes the inter-district differences between unemployment and poverty in Northwestern Bulgaria for the 2016-2020 period. Based on this analysis, measures are proposed to implement policies to reduce them. Unemployment and poverty research can help make management decisions related to socio-economic development, as well as to assess investment opportunities as an important step towards revitalizing the Northwest and making it an appealing place to live.