SPATIAL ASSYMETRIES IN THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF BULGARIA
Journal Title: Knowledge International Journal - Year 2018, Vol 25, Issue 1
Abstract
Bulgaria's regional development has been the focus of attention over the last three decades. This is provoked both by external and internal factors. The great dilemma of regional development policies is how to stimulate the growth centers and at the same time give the chance for less developed regions to develop in a balanced, long-term perspective. This dilemma is solved in different countries in a different way. In Bulgaria, unfortunately, there are no visible successes in this respect. The main problem of territorial development in Bulgaria continues to be the existence of large internal imbalances and inequalities - as it is formulated in the National Strategy for Regional Development 2012-2022. However, by the middle of this period there are no indications for its overcoming. It even sharpened, and the effects of this can reach unprecedented dimensions. The most important priority of public policies for regional development should therefore be to implement instruments for territorial cohesion and balanced growth. The task is not easy. It requires political and managerial willingness and many resources over a long period to implement the chosen policy. In the same time, the lack of a territorial cohesion policy can lead to even more serious problems, the solution of which will require significantly more time and resources if possible to overcome. Achieving cohesion in a territorial aspect requires the implementation of policies for an integrated approach to spatial interaction. There is no territory which can develop itself in isolation from others. The processes in one municipality invariably influence the others - either in a positive or in a negative order. In its simplest version, spatial interaction takes place between nearby or neighboring units (municipalities, districts, organizations, etc.) and may have economic, social and other dimensions. English-language literature uses the term proximity, which is difficult to adapt to Bulgarian in the context of regional development. This is not necessarily geographic proximity, but rather is the manifestation of the effect of spatial interaction. The term is applied in research related to the innovation systems (national and regional), the links of universities with business and the public sector at local and regional level, new economic geography, labor market surveys, development of local economic development policies, etc. We distinguish several types of proximity in a spatial aspect: cognitive, organizational, social, institutional, geographic. Territorial coherence policies should take into account and stimulate the potential for spatial interaction. For this purpose, it is necessary to build institutional frameworks at the regional level to coordinate effectively the process of regional development. At present, such are regional and district development councils, but they fail to perform the role of facilitator, since they have no real power tools for impact and support. There are three possible ways of implementing decentralization. 1) the division between central and regional authorities is organized in clear and precise terms. Regional authorities have even their own resources and have wide-ranging planning rights. They can also subsidize or partially finance local problem solution. 2) only certain functions (planning, development, funding, project implementation) are transferred from the center to the regions, leaving the other regional policy tasks within the competence of the central government. This version is the best in the short term for countries with a unitary system, as the preparation for transferring power needs less effort. 3) the distribution of responsibilities between central and regional authorities is based on specific conditions. A joint managing authority for the development of peripheral, lagging regions is set up and the state provides some of its financial resources to this decision-making body, while the implementation of development programs is delegated to the territorial units.
Authors and Affiliations
Margarita Bogdanova
Keywords
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