Analysis of Regional GDP Dynamics for the Period 2008-2022 (The Case of the North Central Region in Bulgaria) (The case of the North Central region in Bulgaria)

The “Europe of the Regions” has clearly shown the great heterogeneity and disparities in the different regions, which determines the differences of their economic opportunities and interests. There are explicit and implicit forms of competition between regions in the way they develop and integrate into the national and global economy. The presented study is defined as statistical-econometric in terms of a group of data and indicators, in particular the time series of Gross Domestic Product (regional and national), Gross Domestic Product per capita (national and regional), and the type of statistical relationship between the presented time series (national and regional). The assessment of development trends in the period under consideration are achieved by estimating absolute growth, growth rate, rate of increase, estimating the value of 1% change in the time series, correlation of the time series. The primary data for the period 2008-2022 were obtained from the official website of the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria. The objectives of our study are mainly related to clarifying the main development trends in order to be able to build a clear picture of the changes taking place in the region in the period since Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union and comparing the results obtained with those at national level in order to assess the dynamics of development. The obtained results will provide further justification for the elaboration of management decisions in order to enable the region to participate more successfully in the integration economic processes in the country and internationally.