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A study by the United Nations says that the countries in the southeast of Europe are confronted with a dramatic decline in population. According to UN warnings, this is mainly due to the departure of young people, which again undermines the ability of these countries to maintain important social services.
According to the latest UN projections, nine of the ten fastest-shrinking countries in the world are in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, said Allana Armitage, director of the UN Population Fund for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to Reuters.
The UN estimates that Bulgaria will lose about a quarter of its population in about 30 years and that almost every country in the region will shrink in the coming decades.
Fewer children and high emigration means that the population of the countries in Southeastern Europe is getting smaller and older, and in contrast to Western Europe where much attention is paid to attracting immigration to fill the gap.
Between 1995 and 2035, the proportion of people aged 65 and over will double in most countries and even triple in some countries, as the UN forecasts show.
With countries facing the prospect of a smaller number of people of working age, there are concerns about the future of social benefits, in particular for maintaining pensions.
