MJ Ministry of Justice – MRDPW Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works – CM Council of Ministers – MTITC Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications – MLSP Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – MF Ministry of Finance – MYS Ministry of Youth and Sports – NAVET National Agency for Vocational Education and Training – NHIF National Health Insurance Fund – NSSI National Social Security Institute – NGOs nongovernmental organisations – NRP National Reform Programme of the Republic of Bulgaria – NCSI National Council on Social Inclusion with the Council of Ministers – NSI National Statistical Institute – OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – RDOP Regional Development Operational Programme – HRDOP Human Resources Development Operational Programme – CMD Council of Ministers Decree – RHI Regional Health Inspections – EU-SILC a European on income and living conditions – PISA - Programme for International Student Assessment NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING POVERTY AND PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION 2020 INTRODUCTION Poverty and social exclusion are complex phenomena that manifest in different ways. They concern not only people’s income and material situation but also opportunities to participate actively in society. The problem with poverty and social exclusion has become particularly sensitive in the context of the ongoing global financial and economic crisis and the consequences from it: job cuts, rise of unemployment, lower labour quality, etc. In such circumstances it is the most vulnerable groups of the population that pay the highest social price. During the crisis, the issue about the necessity to apply measures which would significantly limit the spread of poverty and social exclusion has become more prominent. All this serves to show that the application of a complex and integrated approach is needed, particularly with regard to the vulnerable groups in society. It will contribute to the long-term overcoming of their social exclusion and will put an end to the transmission of poverty across generations. The EU’s definition of poverty: poor are persons, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and “[…] social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the Member States in which they live.” (EU Council, Decision, 85/8/ЕЕС from 1984)
MJ – Ministry of Justice MRDPW – Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works CM – Council of Ministers MTITC – Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications MLSP – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy MF – Ministry of Finance MYS – Ministry of Youth and Sports NAVET – National Agency for Vocational Education and Training NHIF – National Health Insurance Fund NSSI – National Social Security Institute NGOs – nongovernmental organisations NRP – National Reform Programme of the Republic of Bulgaria NCSI – National Council on Social Inclusion with the Council of Ministers NSI – National Statistical Institute OECD – Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development RDOP – Regional Development Operational Programme HRDOP – Human Resources Development Operational Programme CMD – Council of Ministers Decree RHI – Regional Health Inspections EU-SILC – a European on income and living conditions PISA - Programme for International Student Assessment NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR REDUCING POVERTY AND PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION 2020 INTRODUCTION Poverty and social exclusion are complex phenomena that manifest in different ways. They concern not only people’s income and material situation but also opportunities to participate actively in society. The problem with poverty and social exclusion has become particularly sensitive in the context of the ongoing global financial and economic crisis and the consequences from it: job cuts, rise of unemployment, lower labour quality, etc. In such circumstances it is the most vulnerable groups of the population that pay the highest social price. During the crisis, the issue about the necessity to apply measures which would significantly limit the spread of poverty and social exclusion has become more prominent. All this serves to show that the application of a complex and integrated approach is needed, particularly with regard to the vulnerable groups in society. It will contribute to the long-term overcoming of their social exclusion and will put an end to the transmission of poverty across generations. The EU’s definition of poverty: “[…] poor are persons, families and groups of persons whose resources (material, cultural and social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the Member States in which they live.” (EU Council, Decision, 85/8/ЕЕС from 1984)