Bulgaria has a concentrated but growing HIV epidemic, in which HIV prevalence increased among all population groups over the past decade. This increasing trend in HIV prevalence is particularly marked among men who have sex with men (MSM). For men and women who inject drugs, assuming stable...

This report is part of a joint study between the European Commission (EC), the World Bank, andthe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It aims to inform activation and employment support and social inclusion policy making and programs through an improved understanding...

In 2016, the Government of Bulgaria (GoB) decided to initiate spending reviews to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its spending in the context of a moderate fiscal consolidation process. Though Bulgaria has one of the lowest overall spending in the European Union (EU), spending...

In 2016, the Government of Bulgaria (GoB) decided to initiate spending reviews (RS) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its spending in the context of a moderate fiscal consolidation process. Although Bulgaria has one of the lowest overall spending in the European Union (EU), spending...

This policy note is developed with the aim to inform the planning and implementation of the policy goals toward parenting support in Bulgaria. First, it summarizes the trends and concepts in parenting policies that influence the evolution of programs across Europe and other countries. Second, it...

These programs have been prepared by the Government of Bulgaria (GoB) with technical support by the World Bank. In the course of the work it became clear that national and local institutions would face multi- faceted challenges in implementing the NAQIP and NAPCP, relating mainly to overcoming...

Overall, commendable progress has been made in modernizing public procurement in Bulgaria since the procurement strategy was launched in 2014 and the landmark legislation was passed in 2016. This report provides an assessment of the public procurement system in Bulgaria, reviewing progress since...

The government of Bulgaria requested the World Bank's support in assessing the housing and living conditions of marginalized communities in the Northwestern (NW) region of the country, with an explicit but not exclusive focus on the Roma population. The objective of this assessment was to...

Like many European countries, Bulgaria's workforce is facing dynamic developments influenced by negative demographic trends, seasonal and long-term migration of the population both in the country and abroad, imbalanced economic development of the Bulgarian regions, learning opportunities in the...

This policy note reviews the challenges and opportunities that are central to the transition of the Republic of Bulgaria's key marine-based economic sectors to blue economic development. The term blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean and maritime resources for economic growth,...