-
Yordan Yordanov
Opportunities for Improving Social Policy on Energy Poverty in Bulgaria in the Context of the Transition to a Green Economy
Summary:
Energy poverty is one of the significant contemporary challenges, and its containment and control policies are one of the main objectives of the European community on its path to a green economy. More than 96 million Europeans are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, while 57 million cannot heat their homes in winter. Bulgaria is the country with the highest share of the poor and at risk of poverty, including energy-dependent households, which is also confirmed by the values of the Energy Poverty Index, by which our country has the worst indicators among EU Member States.
This development draws attention to the specificities of energy poverty, seen against the background of a generally accepted understanding of social poverty, the possibilities of changing the model for determining the range of energy poor persons and households in Bulgaria and the removal of a set of proposals to limit and control energy poverty, building on passive targeted energy support for heating and perceived as a direction for the development and improvement of social policy in the field of social assistance in Bulgaria.
-
Walter E. Block
Free Enterprise and Poverty: Cause or Cure?
Summary:
Poverty in general is created by governmental mismanagement. The solution to the problem is the free enterprise system. Markets reduce poverty by promoting incentives and rational economic activity. Governments exacerbate it by attacking private property, regulating business, and through taxation. The problem of black poverty stems mainly from the breakup, nay, the failure to form, of the black family. This, in turn, is traced to governmental welfare programs.
-
Kalina Kavaldzhieva
Cost of Electricity Produced from Waste Processing as a Prerequisite for Social Pricing
Summary:
In a period of energy crisis, deriving the cost of electricity is a significant problem. It appears as a significant contemporary challenge, and policies to control and limit it are the main priority of the European community on its way to a green economy. Depending on the tariff/price of electricity, which directly depends on its cost price, it is determined how much the population could afford to pay for their consumed electricity. Over 96 million Europeans are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. A population that would not be able to heat their homes in winter is about 57 million. Bulgaria is the country with the highest share of the poor and at risk of poverty, including energy-dependent households, which is also confirmed by the values of the Energy Poverty Index, according to which our country has the worst indicators among the member states of EU.
The current development draws attention to the specific features of waste-based electricity calculation. Method of pricing and formation of a sustainable model for formation of tariffs. The synergistic effect from waste processing to energy production is derived. Taxes paid and additional revenues from waste processing could positively affect the price of energy obtained from waste, i.e. to reduce cost and offset costs. This phenomenon can be used as a guideline for the development and improvement of social policy in the field of social tolerance and social support of the population in Bulgaria.
-
Margarita Shopova, Ivanka Tsvetanova
Trends in the Structural Dynamics of Payments from Social Protection System in Bulgaria
Summary:
The subject of research are the payments from social protection system. A common characteristic of social protection has been made in the context of the European System of integrated Social PROtection Statistics (ESSPROS). The profile of the social protection in Bulgaria is presented on the basis of the provided benefits. Official statistical data, published by NSI and gathered through the ESSPROS is used. Descriptive analysis of the dynamics of the structure of the social benefits in Bulgaria for the period 2005 – 2016 is employed. Intensity of the changes is evaluated through the integral coefficient of structural changes.
