A wave of ideas for change shook political life in our country after Rumen Petkov, leader of the PP ABV, came up with a categorical proposal for a deep administrative-territorial reform.
According to him, Bulgaria can be governed far more effectively if the current 28 districts are reduced to five or six. This became clear during a press conference of the “BSP – United Left“ in Pleven.
Myths and Reality: Who is actually a civil servant?
Petkov drew attention to the common misconception in the public sphere regarding the number of civil servants.
He emphasized that the statistics incorrectly include museum workers and employees from other public spheres, which distorts the real picture and leads to erroneous conclusions about the need for layoffs.
The administrative division – source of unnecessary expenses
“Today's structure with 28 districts supports an army of district governors, deputies, secretaries, drivers and entire parallel administrations“, said Petkov.
According to him, this leads to a waste of human and financial resources that could be directed to more important public needs.
The solution: fewer districts, greater efficiency
According to Petkov, reducing the number of districts and restructuring the administration will allow for more flexible and rational management.
He is categorical that such a reform, if well thought out and publicly discussed, will help limit the budget deficit and improve the quality of state governance.
The demographic crisis and depopulation – challenges facing municipalities
The leader of ABV did not fail to touch upon the topic of municipalities that no longer meet the legal requirements for a minimum number of residents.
„In Bulgaria, there are between 60 and 70 municipalities that are far below the required demographic threshold, and hundreds of settlements are completely depopulated“, Petkov warned.
He insisted that institutions realize the scale of the demographic catastrophe and take adequate measures.
The way forward: public debate and structural changes
„BSP – United Left“ will launch a broad public discussion on the necessary changes in the administrative-territorial structure of the country.
Petkov emphasized that real, but tolerable structural changes are needed to protect the public interest and guarantee the effective use of resources.