The Sofia City-Region Development Path and Current Situation ISBN: Printed in the Netherlands by Edition: 2006 All publications in this series in this series are published on the ACRE-website http://www2.fmg.uva.nl/acre and are available on paper at: University of Amsterdam Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt) Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130 1018 VZ Amsterdam the Netherlands tel: +31(0)20-525 4063 fax: +31(0)20-525 4051 e-mail: [email protected] Copyright © Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduce in any form, by print of photo print, microfilm or any other means, without written permission from the publisher. The Sofia City-Region Development Path and Current Situation ACRE report [No.] Evgenii Dainov Ivan Nachev Maria Pancheva Vasil Garnizov Accommodating Creative Knowledge – Competitiveness of European Metropolitan Regions within the Enlarged Union Amsterdam 2006 AMIDSt, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam ACRE ACRE is the acronym for the international research project Accommodating Creative Knowledge – Competitiveness of European Metropolitan Regions within the enlarged Union. The project is funded under the priority 7 ‘Citizens and Governance in a knowledge-based society within the Sixth Framework Programme of the EU (contract no. 028270). Management team Sako Musterd (Project Coördinator) University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies Olga Gritsai (Project Manager) University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies Participants Amsterdam Marco Bontje University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies Wim Ostendorf University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies Post doc University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies Barcelona Montserrat Pareja Eastaway Universitat de Barcelona, Escola d’Empresarials Joaquin Turmo Garuz Universitat de Barcelona, Escola d’Empresarials Montserrat Simó Solsona Universitat de Barcelona, Escola d’Empresarials Lidia Garcia Ferrando Universitat de Barcelona, Escola d’Empresarials Marc Pradel i Miquel Universitat de Barcelona, Escola d’Empresarials Birmingham Alan Murie University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy Caroline Chapain University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy John Gibney University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy Austin Barber University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy Jane Lutz University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy Post doc University of Birmingham, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, School of Public Policy Budapest Zoltán Kovács Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Geographical Research Institute Tamas Egedy Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Geographical Research Institute Attila Csaba Kondor Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Geographical Research Institute Balázs Szabó Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Geographical Research Institute Dublin Declan Redmond School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, Richview, University College Dublin Brendan Williams School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy, Richview, University College Dublin Niamh Moore School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy Martin Sokol Queen Mary, University of London, Department of Geography Helsinki Mari Vaattovaara University of Helsinki, Department of Geography Tommi Inkinen University of Helsinki, Department of Geography Kaisa Kepsu University of Helsinki, Department of Geography Leipzig Joachim Burdack Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde Günter Herfert Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde Bastian Lange Leibniz-Institut für Länderkunde Milan Enzo Mingione Università degli studi di Milano- Bicocca, Dipartimento di Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale Francesca Zajczyk Università degli studi di Milano- Bicocca, Dipartimento di Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale Elena dell’Agnese ii Università degli studi di Milano- Bicocca, Dipartimento di Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale Silvia Mugnano Università degli studi di Milano- Bicocca, Dipartimento di Sociologia e Ricerca Sociale Munich Gunter Heinritz Seminar für Sozialwissenschaftliche Geographie Sabine Hafner Seminar für Sozialwissenschaftliche Geographie Manfred Miosga Seminar für Sozialwissenschaftliche Geographie Anne von Streit Seminar für Sozialwissenschaftliche Geographie Rafael Stegen Seminar für Sozialwissenschaftliche Geographie Poznan Tadeusz Stryjakiewicz Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management Jerzy J. Parysek Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management Tomasz Kaczmarek Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management Michal Meczynski Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management Riga Anders Paalzow Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Diana Pauna Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Vjacheslav Dombrovsky Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Roberts Kilis Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Arnis Sauka Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Sofia Evgenii Dainov New Bulgarian University, Centre for Social Practices Vassil Garnizov New Bulgarian University, Centre for Social Practices Maria Pancheva New Bulgarian University, Centre for Social Practices Ivan Nachev New Bulgarian University, Centre for Social Practices Lilia Kolova iii New Bulgarian University, Centre for Social Practices Toulouse Denis Eckert UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Christiane Thouzellier UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Elisabeth Peyroux UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Michel Grossetti UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Mariette Sibertin-Blanc UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Frédéric Leriche UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Florence Laumière UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Jean-Marc Zuliani UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques Corinne Siino UniversitÉ de Toulouse-II Le Mirail, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Urbaines et Sociologiques iv Table of contents 1 Bulgarian Background: Economic Growth and Social Change ...........................................Hiba! A könyvjelző nem lÉtezik. 1.1 Introduction .............................................................. Hiba! A könyvjelző nem létezik. 1.2 Bulgarian Economy .................................................. Hiba! A könyvjelző nem létezik. 1.3 Bulgarian Population....................................................................................................4 2 Introduction to the Region ...........................................................6 2.1 Sofia – brief description ...............................................................................................6 2.2 Location.......................................................................................................................6 2.3 Nature and Resources...................................................................................................7 2.4 Soil and Vegetation....................................................................................................10 3 Historic Development Plan.........................................................11 3.1 Origins and pre-industrial story..................................................................................11 3.2 Planning Stages 1945-1989........................................................................................13 3.3 Sofia after 1990..........................................................................................................25 4 Current situation 2000-2005 ......................................................28 4.1 Sofia after 2000..........................................................................................................28 4.2 Capital of the Country................................................................................................28 4.3 Demographic Resources.............................................................................................30 4.4 Labour Market ...........................................................................................................33 4.5 Social Services, Culture and Leisure ..........................................................................36 4.6 Housing and Residential Properties............................................................................39 4.7 Street Network and National Transportation Network ................................................42 4.8 Telecommunication Services......................................................................................44