According to the UN's Human Development index, Bulgaria is no longer among the most developed states in the world. Down four spots on last year, Bulgaria has now been overtaken by Serbia, Montenegro and Georgia. Currently, it is the only EU country not to have a place among the world's most developed states. Among the statistics for Bulgaria reported by the UN in the ranking are life expectancy at birth - 71.8 years, 13.8 years on average spent in education, and an average personal income of 23 071 dollars per year.
The caretaker govt's approach to energy fails to win support
According to a new poll by Market Links, president Rumen Radev's explanation that the energy sector is plagued by chaos - presumably said to absolve the caretaker cabinet of accusations of incompetence - has done little to bolster support for his appointees. In its month in office the government and the prime minister have managed to win the trust of only about 20% of Bulgarians. For comparison, the first caretaker cabinet in 2021, led by Mr. Yanev, achieved 42% public support over the same period.
The poll also gauged party support in the run-up to the October election. This shows GERB with a 5% lead over WCC, findings in line with other polls. Unlike other polls, however, Democratic Bulgaria now leads Revival, which is a first since the start of the campaign.
Bulgarians enjoy quick access to healthcare, but at a steep cost
Bulgarian citizens are highly satisfied with their quick access to medical services, according to a national survey conducted by Trend on behalf of the Expert Club for Economics and Politics (ECEP). Nearly 90% of respondents said they were admitted to hospital within the same or next day - if they needed treatment in hospital - and 80% were seen by their GP immediately.
Access to healthcare in Bulgaria has continued to improve in recent years - with no waiting lists for examinations and surgical procedures. However, Bulgarians are among the most dissatisfied Europeans when it comes to the cost of healthcare services. While on average, in the EU, the additional payment expected from the patient is 15.5% of the overall cost of the procedure, in Bulgaria, according to the WHO and the World Bank, it is about 40%.
Radev meets Lukoil to discuss impact of EU fuel embargo on Russia
President Rumen Radev met representatives of Lukoil Neftohim Burgas and Lukoil Bulgaria on Thursday. During the talks representatives of the Bulgarian government and Lukoil discussed measures to secure the fuel market, mindful of the oil embargo imposed by the EU on Russia.
After the meeting Radev stressed "the important role of the company as a major producer of fuels, owning a predominant share of the market in Bulgaria".
According to the UN's Human Development index, Bulgaria is no longer among the most developed states in the world. Down four spots on last year, Bulgaria has now been overtaken by Serbia, Montenegro and Georgia. Currently, it is the only EU country not to have a place among the world's most developed states. Among the statistics for Bulgaria reported by the UN in the ranking are life expectancy at birth - 71.8 years, 13.8 years on average spent in education, and an average personal income of 23 071 dollars per year.
