SOFIA, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian officials on Wednesday called for joint, coordinated efforts to tackle the country's demographic issue, warning of its wide-ranging impact on national development and security.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion in parliament, Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov described the demographic decline as one of the most serious challenges facing Bulgaria. He said the issue affects all sectors of society - from the economy and healthcare to education and social services.
Gutsanov stressed that no single institution could resolve it alone.
Hasan Ademov, chairman of the parliamentary committee on demographic policy, children and family, said demographic policy "envelops all other policies" and should be viewed as "the policy of policies."
According to the National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria's population was estimated at around 6.44 million at the end of last year, down from 7.36 million in 2011 and 8.95 million in 1985. The number of newborns in 2024 totaled 53,428, marking a 6.6 percent decline compared to the previous year. ■
