The paper studies the agglomeration area of Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. The territorial scope of the metropolitan agglomeration encompasses 7 (LAU 1) municipalities including Sofia, Bozhurishte, Elin Pelin, Gorna Malina, Kostinbrod, Slivnitsa and Svoge, and comprises 146 (LAU 2) individual settlements. The total area of Sofia agglomeration covers almost 3,550 km² (3.2% of national territory), while it had 1,359,270 inhabitants (almost 21% of national population) according to the last population census (7 September 2021). During the whole period between 2001 and 2021, Sofia agglomeration has grown in population by more than 95,000 people (7.6%). Bozhurishte, Kostinbrod and Elin Pelin, along with Sofia municipality itself, are the municipalities with the best demographic indicators within the agglomeration area. According to the typology of Webb, type 6 agglomeration settlements (migratory and natural decrease, natural > migratory) are predominant during the first subperiod (2001-2011), while type 8 (migratory increase compensates for natural decrease) has become the leading type in the second subperiod (2011-2021). Despite the increasing number of type 8 settlements, however, the population decline of Sofia city alone (19,361 people) exceeds more than twice the combined population growth of all type 8 settlements (8,929 people), and as a result – the total population number of the agglomeration declined during the second subperiod. In 2021, the GDP in Sofia agglomeration represented 43% of the national economy, while the GDP per capita in Sofia (BGN 38,891) was more than double of the national average. A significant number of the industrial sites are located in the neighbouring municipalities that fall within the agglomeration, with leading economic activities in manufacturing, transport and logistics. The distribution of FDI, however, is uneven: some 97% of them concentrated in Sofia municipality alone. Sofia agglomeration is distinguished by a relatively stable and balanced labour market, characterized by high economic activity and low unemployment rate compared to other agglomerations in the country. Together with the demographic processes, the increasing soil sealing is another evidence of the spatial expansion of suburbanization. The largest share of new soil sealing was observed in Sofia municipality itself (approximately 370 ha), followed by Elin Pelin (105 ha), Bozhurishte (46 ha) and Kostinbrod (32 ha). Based on the intensity of new constructions and population change, the so-called zone of active inbuence of the agglomeration core has been outlined. The zone is made up of settlements meeting two conditions: they have a high intensity of new constructions and they are type 8 or type 7 according to the typology of Webb in the period between 2011 and 2021. During the considered period, the northern, eastern, southern and western peripheries of the agglomeration area developed each in its own speciac way, with dieerent new construction intensity, morphological structure and inter-settlement spaces. Suburbanization processes observed in Sofia are generally comparable to those of other post-socialist European capitals in terms of historical legacies, demographic transformation, spatial dynamics, and land use shifts.

Post-socialist European cities face many challenges, such as growing socioeconomic inequality, spatial polarization, and a lack of sustainability. The rise of Roma ghettoized quarters in the cities imperatively imposes comprehensive research on the origin, evolution, and significance of these areas in the urban fabric. These ghettoized neighborhoods deepen the social, economic, and spatial divisions between citizens and significantly influence urban development and policy. Adapting the model developed by Divyani Kohli and coauthors in 2012, this study proposes a modified conceptual framework and index for assessing the spatial segregation of Roma neighborhoods in Bulgaria, using the four Roma settlements in the city of Ruse as a case. It aims to facilitate the elaboration of effective policies for integrated and sustainable urban development. The research utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, and the analysis of normative documents, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS), to collect detailed spatiotemporal data on Roma neighborhoods and calculate an index reflecting their urban design. Applying the index to the case of Ruse, the Selemetya neighborhood emerges as the most distinct and segregated Roma neighborhood, while the other three neighborhoods exhibit features of partial segregation. Despite the fact that the level of spatial segregation of Roma neighborhoods can be measured based on various approaches and criteria, the suggested index, despite its shortcomings, can be considered appropriate, although not universal, and therefore, the local specifics of deprived areas should be taken into consideration.

Ghettoised urban structures form an essential component of the urban environment wherever they are found and their distinctive physical traits make them clearly identifiable. In the present study, various theories, concepts and viewpoints – mostly of European and American scientists – have been examined and the theoretical aspects of the term "ghetto" have been outlined through the prism of the Bulgarian reality – based on the example of the Roma neighbourhood of Harman Mahala in the City of Plovdiv. The main research question to which an answer is sought is: are the Roma neighbourhoods in Bulgaria essentially ghettos and how many of the characteristics of the ghetto do they exhibit? The study is based on a survey amongst 500 inhabitants of Harman Mahala or 27.8% of its population, as well as on in-depth, semi-structured interviews, with representatives of local authorities, educational and health mediators from the studied Roma neighbourhood school principals, teachers and students. Through the application of the so-called checklist method, it was established that the studied Roma neighbourhood meets all but one condition (Involuntary segregation), in order to be referred to as a “ghetto” and, therefore, it can only be regarded as a “ghettoised urban structure”.

The transformation of the labour market is a significant challenge for sustainable regional development, especially in countries with pronounced socioeconomic inequalities. This study aims to analyse the spatial disparities in the Bulgarian labour market at the regional level (NUTS 3, districts) for the period of 2021–2024, combining descriptive spatial analysis, multidimensional cluster analysis, and Local Indicator of Spatial Association (Local Moran’s I-LISA). The analysis is based on three key indicators: employment rates, unemployment rates, and the relative wage index, calculated against the national average. The results of the descriptive analysis reveal clear spatial imbalances, with low labour income persisting in many districts despite relatively high employment rates. The cluster analysis identifies four types of labour markets with specific socioeconomic profiles, confirming that the spatial disparities are a result of specific combinations of indicators and economic specialisation at the regional level. The LISA analysis further reveals the existence of spatially stable cores of vulnerability and local spatial anomalies that highlight the importance of regional context and spatial proximity. The results indicate the need for a spatially differentiated approach in regional policies in line with the objectives of SDG8, SDG10, the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the EU’s cohesion policy.

The purpose of this investigation is to review the currently known studies on the meteorological preconditions of COVID-19, and analyze and synthesize the results from the existing research, with a view to further substantiating a methodological approach to assessing the daily meteorological factors of viral particles detention in the open air. In pursuit of this goal, the present study attempts to derive and differentiate some findings of the recent research from all over the world about weather and climate factors of SARS-COV-2 dispersion in the atmosphere. The results are systematized according to the main climatic elements – air temperature, air humidity, solar radiation and wind speed. Some climatically sensitive social-demographic factors (such as gender, age structure, general morbidity and predisposition to chronic diseases, household conditions, personal habits, educational level and so on) that determine the resistance to COVID-19, are also commented in this study. Last but not least, the issue of scaling up and remote approaches to the study of the climate and COVID-19 relationship was also addressed.

The Roma represent a significant ethnic minority in post-communist Central and Eastern European countries, often residing in segregated areas resembling slums, inaccurately referred to as “ghettos.” What is special about the Roma ethnic group is that their spatial segregation is both ethnic and social, economic and cultural, which further intensifies the observed negative consequences. Spatial segregation becomes a major cause of social segregation and reproduction of accumulated disadvantages. This study examines ghettoized Roma neighbourhoods in selected towns of Northern Bulgaria, aiming to assess their level of spatial segregation using a set of spatial, demographic and infrastructural indicators. The study’s primary hypothesis is that Roma neighbourhoods experience varying levels of spatial segregation, which directly correlates with broader social segregation. The hypothesis is tested through two complementary approaches to measuring segregation, using a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators. The selection of seven ghettoized urban structures GUSs in Northern Bulgaria was based on data availability at the time of the research, as well as on the diversity of towns. The results show significant variation in segregation levels across the studied neighbourhoods, from low to very strong depending mostly on the values of the so-called primary indicators used for the proposed spatial segregation index. The suggested indices represent a comprehensive way of measuring the differences between deprived neighbourhoods, by using generally accessible data, which is a key factor in studying that type of urban structures. The study fills an existing gap in the research of deprived urban areas by proposing a universally applicable index that can be easily adapted to local conditions.