Impact of Socio-Economic Disparities on Regional Planning as a Result of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to identify the deepening socio-economic disparities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on an analysis of the existing problems in the demographic and socio-economic development of the municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, the emphasis is on opportunities to stimulate the regions and their gradual economic and social recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Attention will also be paid to the strategic planning for the reconstruction of the regions and the projected development for reducing the inequalities of the territorial-administrative units in the country in the medium and long term. In the decade to 2030 on the agenda in Bulgaria will be the need for territorial and administrative reform in line with the demographic and socio-economic situation of the country. In addition, the next programming period 2021-2027. Efforts will be focused entirely on stimulating recovery opportunities from the COVID-19 pandemic and the expected financial and economic crisis. Conducting any study to identify the problems arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of regional development would help to implement an effective regional policy, both by the central executive and by local governments. For the restoration and normalization of the socio-economic relations, special attention should be paid to the improvement of the process related to the development of strategies for territory management and utilization of the areas adjacent to the lands of lagging municipalities. On the other hand, it is necessary to perform a comprehensive analysis in order to assess the development of municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria and to determine trends and prospects for recovery and catching up with the regions in the European Union. This process presupposes, on the one hand, the development and testing of new assessment models, and, on the other hand, the reorganization of the management of the national territory and its constituent territorial-administrative divisions. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussions on redefining the concepts related to the deepening disparities between the individual territorial-administrative units should be brought to the forefront, rethinking a number of existing programs and strategies in the assessment of the planned, expected and achieved results from the program financing with funds from the structural funds of the European Union and the provided financing and / or co-financing from the central budget of the country.