By 2030, unemployment in Bulgaria will shrink to 4%, or 0.4 percentage points lower than in 2019, as well as to achieve employment at levels from 2019 in combination with the implementation of measures to increase the quality of the workforce with a focus on the acquisition of digital skills.

This is provided by the new government Employment Strategy 2021 – 2030, published for public discussion.

In view of the economic and social challenges caused by the COVID pandemic, in the short term until 2024 at the forefront in the planned actions is the achievement of employment at the levels of 2019, as a result of economic recovery.

At the same time, the document outlines long-term actions (until 2030) to meet the country’s commitments in the field of employment, arising from the need to implement the Action Plan of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The measures are aimed at reducing the unemployment rate, increasing the economic activity of the population and increasing the labor potential of the labor force in the country, the document reads.

A permanent shortage of people with secondary education, including technical and vocational training, is expected. These jobs will employ people with lower or higher qualifications than necessary, according to the forecasts recorded in the strategy.