Presentation of the Public Administration Index 2025

A comprehensive assessment of the state and development of administrative capacity in the public administration was presented at the UNWE using an integrated indicator that measures the ability of administrative structures to ensure ь good governance. The study is part of Project No. KP-06-PN85/17 - Research and Assessment of the Capacity of the State Administration in Bulgaria and Guidelines for Good Governance funded by the Scientific Research Fund. The study, in its ninth edition, involves the UNWE Institute of Economics and Politics, Dimitar Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov, and the Institute of Public Administration, whose representatives attended the meeting: the Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Assoc. Prof. Dr, Yanko Hristozov, Director of the UNWE Institute of Economics and Politics and Vice Rector for International Affairs, Prof. D.Sc. Borislav Borisov, researcher at the Institute and co-author of the study, and the Vice Rector of Dimitar Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zdravko Lyubenov, Pavel Ivanov, Executive Director of the Institute of Public Administration, also joined the meeting online.

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Prof. D.Sc. Borislav Borisov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zdravko Lyubenov /from the left to the right/

Pavel ivanov

The event was also attended by Milena Dimitrova, Secretary to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria for Culture, Education and Relations with Bulgarian Communities Abroad, as well as Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Stoyanova, Vice Rector for Institutional and Business Cooperation and Student Policies, and Dr. Gergana Kirilova, Director of Rector’s Office Directorate.

Проф. Цветана Стоянова, д-р Гергана Кирилова и Милена Димитрова (от ляво надясно)

The Rector Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov emphasized the significance of the project and its contribution to the development of public administration in Bulgaria: “This is a major, long-term project that provides valuable information on the state and development of the public administration and outlines important directions for its future development. As a university, our mission is not only to generate knowledge but also to communicate the results of such research to both the public and the institutions and individuals who set the direction of administrative policies. At the official ceremony on awarding the prizes for Best Administration we saw the positive and motivating side of the results. Today’s discussion will focus on the factors that form the overall picture. The analysis clearly shows that the frequent political and organizational changes lead to a decline in administrative capacity. The measurement is a prerequisite for better governance, and the Index provides a reliable assessment scale based on a rigorous methodology. We are pleased that the UNWE actively supports and participates in this important process”.

“Among the main tasks we have set for ourselves at the Institute of Economics and Politics alongside the academic publications and research projects, is to conduct analyses that have direct practical benefits for society”, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanko Hristozov, Director of the Institute of Economics and Politics. “A large portion of our projects are carried out with the support of national and international institutions and are aimed at studying key societal processes.” He noted that the research raises a number of important questions including the tracking of the good and bad practices in the public administration, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of administrative structures and analyzing the changes compared to previous studies. Of particular interest is the question of whether there is a difference between the external evaluation of the administration and its self-assessment.

Assoc. Prof. Yanko Hristozov said that in collecting information for the study, they encountered obstacles related to the insufficient activity and cooperation of the structures, which made the analysis difficult. "That is why we will seek support at the highest institutional level, including from the government, to provide a more complete and reliable basis for future research. If I have to use a comparison, the state administration reminds me of a student before a session – she has the necessary potential, knowledge and opportunities to cope successfully, but often postpones taking the necessary actions with the thought that it will start next Monday."

The Vice-Rector of Dimitar Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zdravko Lyubenov defined the presentation of the results as a natural completion of a long and in-depth research process. "Today's event is the culmination of hard work, in-depth analyses and successful overcoming of a number of methodological and methodological challenges. The result is an objective and comprehensive assessment of the state of public administration in the context of accelerated digitalization and growing public expectations. I am convinced that the information presented will be useful for all levels of government and will serve as a basis for following actions and reforms.

The study’s reviewer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alexander Valkov and lecturers from the UNWE Public Administration Department

Prof. D.Sc. Borislav Borisov, researcher at the Institute and co-author of the study, emphasized that the problems found are systematic and persistent, which makes the study particularly important. In his presentation, he analyzed the administrative environment in 2025, characterized by political instability, which does not create favorable conditions for achieving high results in the public administration. He drew attention to the composition and structure of the state administration, noting that the issue of its number cannot be considered independently. According to him, it is not decisive whether the administration is large or small, but what functions it performs and what results it achieves. The data show that since 2020 there has been a distinct deterioration in administrative capacity, even if there is a slight improvement for 2025.

Within the framework of the study, 28 elements of administrative capacity were analyzed, and it was found that the external partners of the state administration rate its work lower compared to the self-assessments of the administration. Among the main conclusions, a number of persistent systematic problems stand out: lack of sustainable mechanisms for transforming individual knowledge into institutional memory and organizational learning; insufficient use of data as a basis for decision-making; limited effect of digitalization on the improvement of administrative processes; as well as insufficiently effective and responsible application of innovation and artificial intelligence. The study also found the lack of a knowledge management system, a formal approach to risk management and other deficits in management practices. An important part of the study is the formulated recommendations. Among them Prof. Borissov highlighted the necessity of building an Administrative Capacity Monitoring System to support the transition from accountability based on available resources to accountability based on the results and effects achieved. It is also recommended to rethink the composition and structure of the Administrative Reform Council. As key priorities for the development of the public administration were indicated: moving from a debate on numbers to a debate on productivity, managing data as a public asset, developing a learning administration, responsible and practical introduction of artificial intelligence, strengthening managerial responsibility for the results achieved, more active involvement of stakeholders through feedback mechanisms and reporting on their assessments; as well as a shift from governance focused on compliance with rules and procedures to results-oriented management and societal impact.