Bulgaria's Youth: Higher Education, Delayed Marriages, and Fewer Children

young people in Bulgaria today exhibit a higher level of education but tend to marry less frequently and have fewer children compared to their peers since the onset of democratic changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Currently, this demographic primarily finds employment in the service sector and in business and administrative roles. A notable 14% of young Bulgarians are neither studying nor working, opting instead to live with their parents.

Prof. Dr. Mihail Konchev, vice-chairman of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), shared these insights during the opening of the exhibition "Youth of Bulgaria in the European Family" at the Open Air Gallery in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theater in Sofia. He noted a decline in child mortality rates in Bulgaria from 1989 to 2023, alongside a decrease in both marriage rates and birth rates among young people.

Prof. Konchev highlighted that, according to census data from 1985 to 2021, there was a significant rise in the number of university graduates after 2011. Additionally, a decrease in the number of economically inactive young individuals was observed. However, he pointed out that youth unemployment in Bulgaria remains a concern, with young people aged 16 to 19 facing employment rates significantly lower than their EU counterparts, approximately five times less. This disparity diminishes for those aged 20 to 24, though it remains considerable, and narrows further among individuals aged 25 to 29.

In Bulgaria, about 95% of youth aged 16 to 19 live with their parents, a trend consistent across Sofia and other regions, as well as within the EU. This figure drops to around 80% for those aged 20 to 24, but still presents a notable gap when compared to EU averages. Over half of Bulgarians over 25...