Bulgaria wants to grow its social economy not just with more social enterprises but with social innovation too, labour and social policy minister Natalia Efremova told the UN General Assembly's 81st session in New York.
A new competence centre for social innovation is on the way. Once EU funding runs out, the state budget or local councils could pay to keep it going, Efremova said.
Six centres already support social enterprises across Bulgaria. The minister said they help social entrepreneurs start new businesses and help those already running to find projects and link up with businesses outside the social economy. Social enterprises need more than money, she said — they also need support that isn't financial.
Efremova spoke during discussion of a report by UN secretary-general António Guterres on progress in the social and solidarity economy. She pointed to two steps forward, one being flexible, inclusive rules for the sector. Governments shouldn't draw up those rules alone, she said — non-government groups and social entrepreneurs need a seat at the table too.
The social economy is on the agenda in Bulgarian politics and is written into the government's programme. Bulgaria has also joined a friendship group whose main goal is to promote the social economy. Being part of it means sharing experience and good practice, the minister said, and will help push the issue higher up the international agenda.
Efremova also took part in a high-level forum on demographic resilience and investing in people, titled "Demographic Resilience: Investing in Human Capital for a Sustainable Future." All policies need to take demographic challenges into account, she said. The press office of the labour and social policy ministry released the information.