Economic and Social Council Discusses Strategic Reforms with OECD Secretary-General 2026

Balgarianovinite.com The Chairpersons’ Council of Bulgaria’s Economic and Social Council (ESC) held a meeting with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and his team as part of their official visit to Bulgaria, the Council said on Friday. The talks focused on Bulgaria’s progress toward OECD membership, key economic and social reforms, and the role of organized civil society in the process. The OECD Secretary-General outlined the current stage of the accession procedures, stressing the importance of the final phase of technical reviews by the Economic and Development Review Committee.
ESC Chair Zornitsa Rusinova presented the Council’s mission to represent organized civil society and to seek balance among employers, trade unions and civil organizations so that achieved consensus can serve as a stable foundation for public policymaking. She underlined that Bulgaria’s OECD membership is a long-term priority. A large share of the ESC’s acts to date, as well as the activities planned for 2026, are geared toward forthcoming reforms, with the aim of contributing expert input and expressing the Council’s consensus positions on key public issues. Rusinova recalled that two years ago the ESC adopted a resolution in support of OECD membership, citing proven benefits such as stimulating economic growth, a higher standard of living, stable employment and incomes, fiscal sustainability, and more effective public policies based on access to reliable data and international expertise. She also highlighted the ESC’s active role in supporting reforms through expert proposals and consistent backing for government efforts to meet accession criteria.
ESC Deputy Chair from the Employers’ Group Maria Mincheva emphasized the business perspective, saying the accession process is an opportunity to modernize the regulatory framework and accelerate socio-economic convergence.
Deputy Chair from the Trade Unions’ Group Plamen Dimitrov underscored the importance of education, skills development and industrial policy. He said trade unions view economic integration as a driver of higher incomes and purchasing power, but voiced concern over industrial decline and job losses. In his words, the sector needs a new boost through a targeted strategy and investment in digital skills, as well as a closer link between education and the needs of the economy, an area in which the ESC has already formulated specific recommendations.
Deputy Chair from the Civil Organizations’ Group Bogomil Nikolov drew attention to the social dimensions of the green and digital transitions. He noted that while these transformations bring tangible benefits, they also entail social costs, making it essential that policies ensure no group is left behind. He also highlighted issues related to privacy, security and trust in the digital environment.
During the discussion, the ESC’s work on key topics was presented, including a comprehensive analysis of the pension model covering its three pillars and built on balanced dialogue among employers, trade unions and civil organizations.
In conclusion, OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann expressed appreciation for the ESC’s active contribution to the process and noted the importance of the issues addressed by the Council for Bulgaria’s sustainable economic and social development. Economic and Social Council Discusses Strategic Reforms with OECD Secretary-General 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-06 14:11:41 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law