site.btaUPDATED President Radev Participates in Demographic Summit in Budapest

President Rumen Radev, who is in Hungary on Thursday at the invitation of his Hungarian counterpart Katalin Novak, spoke at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest during the 5th Demographic Summit themed "Family: The Key to Security". Radev said that young people need to be motivated to get educated, compete and produce.

The President said: "We cannot talk about families' problems, if we remove them from the global perspective. There are two opposite processes in the world: on the one hand there is population growth with huge birth rates, many young people in underdeveloped countries, however, in developed countries this number is decreasing".

Bulgaria's population is ageing and declining. Only 19% of Bulgaria's population is comprised of children under 17, Radev said.

According to the head of State, the biggest problem contributing to the demographic crisis in Bulgaria is migration. He added that unlike most European states, which see many migrants willing to resettle in them, Bulgaria's population is constantly dwindling due to young people and scientists looking for better prospects abroad. Radev then described Bulgaria as a donour for the rest of the EU.

The President listed good education and healthcare, competitive wages and tackling corruption as factors that could contribute to resolving Bulgaria's demographic crisis. He said that he has spoken with many young people, who said they were specifically looking for a career abroad, as they want to live in a well-organized society, with clear laws and effective judiciary.

Radev believes that the demographic crisis can be resolved with steady investments, high technology and communications.

The forum, which will take place from September 14 to 16, is one of the largest international conferences in Hungary.

It is very important to attract the serious resources under the Recovery and Resilience Plan as soon as possible and to develop mechanisms for their effective targeting in the most important areas, President Rumen Radev told journalists after he took part in the forum.

In his words, Bulgaria's big problem is not so much the country's fertility rate and the ageing parameters, because they fit into the general European framework. "Our big problem is migration, because young people leave the country every year. Our efforts should be directed towards them", Radev said.

According to the Head of State, the rule of law can help solve the problem. Where there is rule of law, corruption is stifled. Poverty and inequality are reduced, and property is protected. There is sustainability of investment, while education and healthcare are quality and affordable, he stressed.

The Demographic Summit is being held in Hungary for a reason, because with its long-standing consistent policy to support families, Hungary has achieved tangible results in raising its birth rate, Radev said, adding that Bulgaria is also stepping up measures to increase the birth rate and reduce the death rate, but not to the same extent as in Hungary.

Radev said that many young people from Bulgaria with whom he has spoken have told him that they want a career abroad because they want to live in a society, where obligations and laws are clear, the judiciary is effective, and not just because of the higher pay.