This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Asenova, D. Articles by McKinnon, R. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The Bulgarian pension reform: post-accession issues and challenges

Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, d.asenova{at}gcal.ac.uk

Roddy McKinnon

International Social Security Association, Geneva, Switzerland

Focusing on the social impacts of the 2000—2 pension reform in Bulgaria, the article examines how Bulgarian pensioners cope with income risk in old age. Reporting that old-age pensions are frequently inadequate to household consumption needs, the authors argue for more generous tax-financed social pensions alongside contributory pension provision, to combat old-age poverty. As the poorest country to date to achieve European Union accession, the article concludes by suggesting that Bulgaria's pursuit of fuller integration and development within the EU cannot be divorced from better meeting the social security needs of its ageing population.

Key Words: Bulgaria • income risk • old-age pensions • pension reform • poverty

References

• Angelov, G. (2005) `Alternative (Low Tax) Budget for 2006'. Accessed on 16 June 2006 at: [http://www.ime.bg/en/Alternative_Budget.htm].
• Chiape, R. (2001). `Pension Reform in Bulgaria', OECD Private Pensions Conference 2000. Paris: OECD.
• Deacon, B., Hulse, M. and Stubbs, P. (1997) Global Social Policy: International Organisations and the Future of Welfare. London: Sage Publications.
• EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) (1996) `Transition Report 1996: Infrastructure and Savings '. London: EBRD.
• EC (European Commission) (2006) ` Social Inclusion in Europe: Implementation and Update Reports on 2003— 2005 National Action Plans on Social Inclusion and Update Reports on 2004—2006 National Action Plans on Social Inclusion'. Brussels: EC.
• Eckardt, M. (2005) `The Open Method of Coordination on Pensions: an Economic Analysis of its Effects on Pension Reform', Journal of European Social Policy 15 (3): 247—67.[Abstract]
• European Industrial Relations Observatory ( 2005) Pension Reform Continues. Accessed on 1 July 2005 at: [http://www.eiro.eurofound.eu.int/2005].
• European Parliament (2000) ` Lisbon European Council 23 and 24 March 2000, Presidency Conclusions'. Accessed on 18 October 2006 at: [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sum,its/lis1_en.htm].
• Fultz, E. (ed.) (2002) Pension Reform in Central and Eastern Europe Vols 1 and 2. Budapest: ILO.
• Fultz, E. (2004) `Pension Reform in the EU Accession Countries: Challenges, Achievements and Pitfalls', International Social Security Review 57 (2): 3—24.
• Holzmann R., MacKellar, L. and Rutkowski, M. (2003) `Accelerating the European Pension Reform Agenda: Need, Progress, and Conceptual Underpinnings', in R. Holzmann, M. Orenstein and M. Rutkowski (eds) Pension Reform in Europe: Process and Progress. Annex, p. 23, Washington, DC: World Bank.
• Holzmann, R. and Hinz, R. with von Gersdoff, H., Gill, I., Impavido, G., Musalem, A.R., Palacios, R., Robolino, D., Rutkowski, M., Schwarz, A., Sin, Y. and Subbarao, K. (2005) Old-age Income Support in the Twenty-first Century: an International Perspective on Pension Systems and Reform. Washington, DC: World Bank.
• IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development)/World Bank (2004) `Bulgaria: Survey of Rural Development Needs'. Washington, DC: World Bank.
• ILO (International Labour Organization) (2006 ) `Social Security for All: Investing in Global Social and Economic Development: a Consultation', Discussion Paper 16. Geneva: ILO.
• Institute for Legal Studies (2005) Poverty in Southern Europe. Sofia: Institute for Legal Studies/Bulgarian Academy of Science.
• ISSA (International Social Security Association) (1993) `The Financing of Social Insurance in Central and Eastern Europe', Social Security Documentation, European Series, No. 20. Geneva: ISSA.
• Kaseke, E. (1999) `Social Security and the Elderly: the African Experience', The ACP-EU Courier, 176: 50—2.
• Kiuchukov, S. (2007) `Poor Pensioners Even After Fifty Years'. Accessed on 7 March 2007 at: [http://standart-news.com/en/article.php?d=2007—03—08&article=180865].
• Kolev, A. (2003) Joblessness and Precarious Work in Bulgaria: Addressing the Multiple Aspects of Vulnerability in the Labour Market, Social Protection Discussion Paper, No. 0303. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
• Kolev, A. (2005) `Unemployment, Job Quality and Poverty: a Case Study of Bulgaria', International Labour Review 141 (1): 85—114.
• Kudat, A. and Youssef, N.H. (1999) Older People in Transition Economies: an Overview of their Plight in Europe, Central Asia Region. New York: United Nations.
• Müller, K. (2003) Privatising Old-age Security: Latin America and Eastern Europe Compared. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Müller, K. (2005) `Post-socialist Pension Reform: Contributory and Non-contributory Approaches', Public Finance and Management 5 (2). Accessed on 14 July 2006 at: [http://www.spaef.com/PFM_PUB/index.html].
• Nails, D. and Arnold, J. (2001) Gender Assessment and Plan for Action USAID/Bulgaria. Washington, DC: US Agency for International Development.
• Noncheva, T. and Satcheva, D. (2003) `Country Study Bulgaria', in Gvg (ed.) Social Protection in the Candidate Countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovenia, pp. 1—157. Berlin: AKA.
• Precupetu, I. (2006) `First European Quality of Life Survey: Quality of Life in Bulgaria and Romania: Summary'. Dublin: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.
• Sahn, D.E., Younger, S.D. and Meyerhoefer, C. (2002) `Rural Poverty in Bulgaria: Characteristics and Trends'. Accessed on 3 February 2007 at: [ http://www.cfnpp.cornell.edu/images/wp132.pdf].
• Slavchev, N. (2004) `Bulgaria Leads Pension Reforms', Investment and Pensions Europe, July—August: 49.
• Sofia Echo (2006) Economy Briefs (26 June). Accessed on 5 July 2006 at: [ http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/economy-briefs/].
• Spiteri, A. (2006) `Bulgaria Increases State Pensions Again', Global Pensions. Accessed on 30 June 2006 at: [www.globalpensions.com].
• SSA (Social Security Administration) (2006 a) Social Security Programs throughout the World — Europe 2006. Washington, DC: SSA.
• Ssa (2006b) `Bulgaria', International Update (Feb.). Washington, DC: Social Security Administration.
• Standart (2007a) `Pensioners Storm the Council of Ministers'. Accessed on 7 March 2007 at: [http://standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2007—03—08&article=3258].
• Standart (2007b) `Seven out of Ten Bulgarians Work in Grey Economy'. Accessed on 7 March 2007 at: [http://standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2007—03—08&article=2240].
• Stefanov, R. (2000) `Bulgarian Social Policy in View of European Union Enlargement', South-east Europe Review 3 (1): 65—78.
• Todorova, S. (1999) `Emerging Poverty in Bulgaria', in Y. Atal (ed.) Poverty in Transition and Transition in Poverty: Recent Developments in Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Russia, Mongolia. New York: UNESCO Publishing/Berghahn Books.
• Tsanov, V. (2002) `Draft Report on: Economic Integration and Social Security in Bulgaria during the Transition'. Accessed on 20 October 2006 at: [http://www.ruiggian.org].
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) ( 2003) `The United Nations Development Programme Launches the National Human Development Report — Bulgaria 2003'. Accessed on 25 July 2005 at: [http://www.undp.bg].
• Unpd (2006) `World Population Prospects: the 2004 Revision Population Database'. Accessed on 10 January 2006 at: [http://esa.un.org/unpp/].
• USAID (United States Agency for International Development) (1999) Bulgarian Pension Reform Strategy. Washington, DC: USAID.
• Whitford, R. (2002) `Country Focus: Bulgaria', Pensions International 43: 10—11.

Journal of European Social Policy, Vol. 17, No. 4, 389-396 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0958928707081076


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Asenova, D. Articles by McKinnon, R. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?