THE BEGINNING OF THE REGIONAL POLICY IN SOUTHERN BULGARIA DURING THE 60'S AND 70'S OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

From 1 January 2007 the European Union includes 27 countries and 1303 regions at NUTS 3. 28 Bulgarian regions belong to the latter category. The location of the cities which have the status of regional centers in the territory of modern Bulgaria was chosen in 1959. In 60-s and 70-s of the 20th century Bulgarian state authorities adopted decrees about the regional development in three underdeveloped regions in Southern Bulgaria - Blagoevgrad region, Smoljan region and Kurjali region. These three regions were treated as a strategic territory in the regional policy of Bulgaria in that period. The aim of the governmental regulations was the statistic indicators in each of the three regions to be equalized to the average level of the country. The main aspects of the regional programs in that area were economic and cultural. The investments in new branches referred mostly to engineering and chemical industry. Education of young people and researches in history formed the core of the cultural policy. The investment projects had a strong intellectual influence. Folk-songs concerts and dances presented by professional and amateur ensembles, art and museum exhibitions, literary readings and other cultural events promoted Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage of the Macedonian and Thracian Bulgarians. Remembrances of the refugees from Aegean and Vardar Macedonia and Aegean Thrace persisted in the cultural development in Blagoevgrad, Smoljan and Kardjali district in that period. The establishment of higher education was necessary in Blagoevgrad in order to break the trend of young people from Vardar and Aegean Macedonia leaving to study in Skopje. Special attention was devoted to the use of good Bulgarian literary language among the Bulgarian Turk. Teachers and writers helped for spreading literature and works of contemporary art and science achievements among Muslim Bulgarians. There were built new cultural centers, cinemas and schools. As a result, for the period of twenty years the standard of life was increased. Instead of migration for example to the capital many people in active age preferred to live and work at the local site where they were born. Blagoevgrad region, Smoljan region and Kurjali region were an example for the other regions also situated near the border. However, other parts of Bulgaria still needed development.