Lovech province (NUTS 3), comprising a group of three municipalities, Troyan, Apriltsi and Ougarchin is situated in the lagging North-Western region of Bulgaria. The origins of depopulation in these rural areas date back to the socialist past, when land collectivisation and soviet-type industrialisation triggered outmigration flows towards urban centres. During post-socialist times the privatisation process resulted in massive closures and hindered the attraction of fresh investments. The Bulgarian EU accession coincided with the global financial crisis, triggering massive outmigration from all social groups in search of better personal future prospects.

Identity:

Case study: Troyan-Apriltsi-Ougarchi (Lovech)

Country: Bulgaria (BG)

Project: European Shrinking Rural Areas: Challenges, Actions and Perspectives for Territorial Governance (ESCAPE)

Delivery: 12/2020

Population: 37,753

Classification: NUTS3