Pazardzhik

In 2022, GDP in Pazardzhik district continued to grow relatively fast, though remaining relatively low. GDP per capita reached 15,500 BGN, compared to 26,000 BGN in the country on average. The gross annual salary of persons employed under labor contract was 16,400 BGN, compared to 21,200 BGN in the country. In 2023, pensions continued to grow at a rate close to the national average and reached 712 BGN, compared to 784 BGN nationally. The Gini coefficient for income inequality again remained close to but below the national average in 2023. The share of the population living below the national poverty line retained its level above the national average – 27.2% in the district, versus 20.6% countrywide.

The share of the working-age population in the district continued to decline in 2023 and was down to 57.4%, thus moving further away from the national average of 58.5%. Employment and unemployment have been growing simultaneously. The employment rate has reached 75.3%, compared to 76.2% nationally, and the unemployment rate – 8.0%, versus the national average of 5.3%. The educational profile of the workforce remains a challenge facing the local labor market. In 2023, the share of people with a university degree registered a slight increase, yet in 2023 it was again the lowest in the country – 15%, against an average of 31% in the country. At the same time, the share of those with primary or lower education shrank to 23%, though again remaining relatively high when compared to the national average of 15%.

Investment and business activity in Pazardzhik district was again slack in 2022, although there were some noticeable positive trends. The number of enterprises remained low – 51 per 1,000 population, against the national average of 70 per 1,000 population. There has been an increase in foreign and domestic investment to levels above those in most other districts. TFA acquisition expenditures have reached 3,300 BGN/person, and FDI – 3,000 EUR/person. Production value in Pazardzhik district has continued to rise, reaching 100,000 BGN per employed person. The share of export earnings in net sales revenues has steadied slightly below average. As regards utilization of EU funding, Pazardzhik district has also recorded some increase, though the amounts remain relatively low. By 30 June 2024, payments made in the district to beneficiaries of EU operational programs amounted to 2,149 BGN/person, against 3,175 BGN/person nationwide. Within the district, the municipality with the highest rate of  utilization was that of Panagyurishte, and the one with the lowest – the municipality of Rakitovo. Relative research and development expenditure is increasing.

In 2023, the density of the rail network in Pazardzhik district again remained higher than the national average. The road network density and the share of highways and first-class roads were lower than the respective national average figures but road surface quality remained relatively high. The share of road surface in good condition registered a slight decrease to 55%, compared to 40% in the country. In 2023, the district population’s access to the internet shrank to 83% of the households and remained below the national average of 89%. Access to a public sewerage network is close to the national average – 72% in the district, compared to 75% in the country. Connectivity to wastewater treatment plants, however, is lagging behind by a considerable margin – 42%, compared to 67% in the country in 2022.

The average level of local taxes in the municipalities of Pazardzhik district again remained relatively low in 2024. Of all monitored taxes, all average rates were below the average ones in the country. Considerably lower than the average ones in the country were the local tax rates for non-residential immovable property for legal entities and for motor vehicles. Within the district, Batak municipality levies on average the lowest taxes, while the highest ones are in Rakitovo municipality.

In 2024, the local authorities’ self-assessments of the development of e-government and the provision of one-stop shop services largely retained their levels and remained below the respective national averages. The average value of both is 3.2 p. out of a maximum of 4 p., versus the national average of 3.35 p., and the provision of one-stop shop services – at 3.1 p. out of 4 p., compared to 3.4 p. nationally. In 2024, the AIP Active transparency ratings of the local administration dropped slightly to 63.1%, against the national average of 69.3%, and remained relatively low. The share of own revenues in the total revenues of the municipalities in the district is 20%, versus 27% in the country in 2023, while the coverage of municipal expenditures with local revenues is 68%, against 74% nationally.

The natural population increase rate has gone up and now exceeds the national average, though remaining negative at –7.3‰, compared to –6.8‰ in the country. At the same time, Pazardzhik continues to attract new residents and the net migration rate is positive at 3.1‰. The share of children below 4 years is equal to the national average – 4.5%, while the share of people aged 65 and over remains slightly higher – 24.3% in the district, against 23.8% nationally. Pazardzhik is among the districts with a relatively high density of the population – 1,546 persons/sq. km in the urbanized settlements, against 1,221 persons/sq. km on average nationwide.

The net rate of enrolment in 5th–7th grade decreased in 2023 and remained below the national average. School year repeaters make up an excessively high percentage – 2.0%, versus 1.2% nationally. The alignment between vocational education and the profile of the local economy is worsening – there is a shortage of manufacturing-related programs at the expense of a disproportionate number of places in ICT courses. The average results of the district’s students in 2024 again remain relatively low. The average score in the NEA in mathematics at the end of 7th grade was 37.5 p., versus 42.9 p. in the country. The average grade in the State matriculation exam in Bulgarian language and literature was “Good” 4.19 in the district, compared to “Good” 4.30 nationally, and the share of “fail” grades (below 3.00) – 13.5%, versus the average of 8.7% nationwide. There are no universities or branches of universities in the district of Pazardzhik.

Life expectancy in the district has gone up, but remains below the national average. However, the infant mortality rate has been increasing and in 2023 it again remained relatively high. The district’s health insurance coverage rate remains below the national average. Access to GPs in the district is better than the national average but there is a definite shortage of specialist physicians. The availability of beds in the local general hospitals is traditionally higher than average and in 2023 there were 7.4 beds per 1,000 population, versus the national average of 6.1 beds per 1,000 population, while hospital bed occupancy is comparable to the average one countrywide (56%), which is indicative of a well-developed and well-functioning healthcare system. Pazardzhik is among the districts with the greatest number of pharmacies relative to the population, where it is outranked only by Burgas district.

The workloads of the local District Court judges are relatively low, but those in the Administrative Court are among the highest in the country, second only to Blagoevgrad for 2023. This impacts the speed of delivery of justice. The share of criminal cases closed within 3 months is 96%, against the national average of 91%, that of civil cases – 73%, versus 65% in the country, while the share of administrative cases is 64%, compared to the national average of 72%. The number of crimes in the district remains relatively small, while their detection rate is above the country’s average. In 2023, the registered crimes against the person and property amounted to 8.2 per 1,000 population, versus 11.3 per 1,000 population nationwide, while the detection rate has registered a considerable increase to 64%, against 53% nationally. The number of police officers relative to the population is relatively low.

Pazardzhik’s performance in this category again places the district almost at the top (second only to Smolyan). The main reason for this is that Pazardzhik continues to be the leader in terms of installed RES capacities – 5.9 kW/person, compared to 1.0 kW/person in the country in 2024. The amount of household waste generated in the district is above the national average. – an annual of 483 kg/person, against 488 kg/person in the country. The amount of household waste handed over for treatment and recycling has gone considerably up and in 2022 it exceeded the national average – 87% in the district, against 76% countrywide. Pazardzhik is the district with the second highest share of forest area, where it is outranked only by Smolyan – 55% in the district, versus 33% countrywide. The share of disturbed area, for its part, is equal to the national average – 0.4%. The large share of forest areas accounts for the district’s relatively low cooling degree days.

Cinema visits have gone up to reach 192 per 1,000 population, but their number remains considerably lower than the national average of 684 per 1,000 population for 2023. The number of visits to the local libraries also continues to be relatively small. Visits to local theaters relative to the population have increased and remain above the national average. Close to, though below the national average are the visits to the local museums. The number of beds in accommodation establishments has reached 37 per 1,000 population, versus 56 per 1,000 population in the country, and the number of overnight stays for the first time has exceeded the national average – 5,014 per 1,000 population, versus 4,167 per 1,000 population in the country.