Bulgaria doesn't just want to grow its social economy through a network of social enterprises — it also wants to push them forward with social innovation. That's what labour and social policy minister Natalia Efremova said in New York, at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, the ministry's press office said.
The minister spoke during a debate on UN secretary-general António Guterres's report on progress in the social and solidarity economy.
Efremova said Bulgaria will soon set up a Centre for Competence in Social Innovation. Once EU funding for the project runs out, the centre could be paid for from the state budget or by local authorities.
She pointed to two things that would help the social economy grow. First, rules for the social and solidarity economy need to be flexible and open — written not just by the government, but together with non-government groups and social entrepreneurs. Second, social enterprises should get both targeted financial help and support that isn't about money.
Bulgaria already has six centres that back social enterprises, Efremova said. They help entrepreneurs set up new ventures and help existing ones with projects and links to businesses outside the social economy.
Social economy policy is part of the government's programme. Bulgaria has also joined a "friends" group whose main goal is to promote the social economy. Being part of it lets Bulgaria swap experience and good practice with other countries and helps push social and solidarity economy issues higher up the international agenda, the minister said.
At a high-level forum on demographic sustainability — "Investing in Human Capital for a Sustainable Future" — also held during the 81st session, Efremova said every policy needs to take demographic challenges into account.