site.btaPublic Council to Support Parliamentary Demographic Committee amid Alarming Trends

Bulgaria’s Parliamentary Committee on Demographic Policy, Children and Family formally presented the members of its newly established Public Council at a session held Tuesday. The advisory body will support the Committee with expert insights and public communication on population-related challenges facing the country.

Committee Chair Iliana Zhekova said she expects constructive cooperation among Council members and between the Council and the Committee. She emphasized the need to minimize populist rhetoric and instead focus on evidence-based solutions to Bulgaria’s deepening demographic crisis.

Council member Maria Yaneva, head of the I Want a Baby Foundation, described the country as facing a demographic “desert” across more than 40% of its territory. She warned that the main problem is not just access to assisted reproduction but that many young people of childbearing age are increasingly unwilling to have children, due to a mix of social and economic pressures. She called for more preventive health efforts targeting the younger population.

Antoaneta Hristova, Deputy Chair of the Public Council and director of the Institute for Studies of the Population and Man with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, stressed that demographic policy must be grounded in data. She warned against superficial PR campaigns and emphasized the need for real, long-term solutions. She said that politicians are often tempted to talk about birth rates but if one looks at the date, they see that the problem is elsewhere.

Hristina Hristova, also a Deputy Chair, pointed to urgent issues such as population aging and labor shortages, which are already exerting pressure on health and social funds. She said priorities must be carefully chosen, given the limited time and resources.

Former social minister Emilia Maslarova welcomed the Council’s creation and said it must go beyond simply promoting birth rates. She raised concerns about the quality of the future workforce, asking whether Bulgaria is investing in educated, healthy, and competitive children or simply pushing for more births without strategy. She called for a calm, nonpartisan debate.

Michaela Djorgova, co-founder of the Society and Values Association, joined the session via video link and noted that her group has been working on child protection in online environments for over a year. She committed to contributing scientifically grounded proposals.

Psychologist Rosen Yordanov, elected Chair of the Public Council, said his goal is to unite efforts and present workable proposals that make Bulgaria a better place to live. “Let’s not waste time on empty talk,” he said, calling for focus on practical, cross-sector measures.

Kiril Valchev, Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and a member of the Public Council, also addressed the meeting via video link. He said BTA stands ready to serve as a platform for the Committee’s work and messages — both domestically and for Bulgarians abroad. Valchev noted that BTA has permanent correspondents in regions with large Bulgarian communities, such as Bessarabia (in Ukraine and Moldova), as well as in Serbia’s Western Outlands, and plans to expand to new migrant hubs. He cited the agency’s dedicated “BG World” service, which has grown from 243 reports in 2021 to over 8,000 in 2024.

Maria Brestnichka, a member of the Public Council and representative of the National Network for Children, emphasized that no demographic policy is possible without children. She called for a family policy that supports families in raising free, independent, and competent children who grow into responsible adults. Brestnichka noted that her organization has been involved in key reforms, including deinstitutionalization, early childhood and school education, and the establishment of a National Children’s Hospital. She also highlighted the Network’s role in the Safe Internet Center, which received over 1.7 million reports of online child abuse in the past year.

Yuri Aslanov, also a member of the Public Council, urged the National Assembly and all political parties to adopt a joint declaration committing to a long-term, sustainable demographic policy. He proposed that every legislative initiative be accompanied by an assessment of its demographic impact. Aslanov rejected the notion that Bulgaria's demographic crisis stems from low birth rates, which he said are above the EU average. Instead, he pointed to the country’s low life expectancy, high disease burden, and elevated mortality rates — including child mortality — as the real drivers of the crisis.