A United Nations study says that the countries in Southeast Europe are facing a dramatic population decline. According to UN warnings, this is primarily due to the departure of young people, which further undermines these countries' ability to maintain essential social services.
According to the latest UN projections, nine of the ten fastest shrinking countries in the world are in Eastern and Southeast Europe, Allana Armitage, director of the UN Population Fund for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, told Reuters.
The UN estimates that Bulgaria will lose about a quarter of its population in approximately thirty years and that virtually every country in the region will shrink in the coming decades.
Fewer children and high emigration mean that the population of Southeast European countries is becoming smaller and older, in contrast to Western Europe, where much attention is given to attracting immigration to fill the gap.
Between 1995 and 2035, the share of the population aged 65 and over will double in most countries and even triple in some, according to UN forecasts.
With countries facing the prospect of fewer people in the working-age population, there are concerns about the future of social benefits, particularly regarding the sustainability of pensions.