Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 26th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview VI. Public Policy Analysis Development Author(s) Maria Kotseva-Tikova Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia Bulgaria Title Regional Policy for Inclusive Development of the Districts of Bulgaria File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Maria Kotseva-Tikova Abstract The regional policy should bring progress, but it should also allow changes. One aspect of such change is the transition towards low-carbon economy. The cohesion policy has a key role in supporting such a transition. Even the European Fund for Regional Development requires that each member state have a certain percentage from the financing devoted to low-carbon activities. The final aim is to achieve progress but not to neglect the wellbeing of the social capital. A lot of indicators try to describe the details of the picture of the regional differences with the aim to find the solutions for adjustment and improvement of the current policies. They give an estimation of some aspects of the regional changes, as the Social Progress Index (SPI) of the EU for 272 regions, for example, evaluates three dimensions of the social advances: basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing and opportunities. The social progress is defined as the society capability to meet main human needs, to provide basic elements that allow citizens and communities to increase and maintain their life quality, as well as to provide conditions, that allow each individual to realize its full capacity. The SPI ranks the NUT II regions of Bulgaria at bottom positions. At present the evaluations have only been executed for NUT II regions, while to see the problematic areas it is advisable to study the NUT III level – districts. The aim of the present report is to analyze NUT III level of Bulgaria in respect to SPI and some economic indicators. The evaluation is analyzed in respect to the opportunities given by green economy potential to decrease the slow development and to allow stabilization. The social, ecological and economic analysis of the districts could give better solutions for further improvement of the national regional policy including new green activities that could bring sustainable growth and development.
