Bulgarians express a mixed outlook on the country’s future, combining a sense of present-day stagnation with cautious optimism for the next two decades, according to a national survey conducted by Trend research center and presented during the Green Transition Forum 6.0 in Sofia.
The forum, organized by Dir.bg, gathered international experts, economists, and policymakers for discussions on sustainable development and economic transformation. The event featured more than 110 panels and over 450 speakers from 37 countries, focusing on long-term reforms and green transition policies.
The Trend survey, commissioned for the forum, included 1,002 face-to-face interviews with adults across the country between February 11 and February 17, 2026. The study is representative of the adult population, with a statistical margin of error of ±3.1%.
Perceptions of the country’s current trajectory are largely negative. A majority of 52% of respondents describe Bulgaria as stagnant or declining, while 28% believe it is moving toward deterioration. Only 14% see progress or modernization, and 6% do not express an opinion.
Despite this, expectations for the future are more balanced. When asked about the next 20 years, 40% of respondents say they feel neither optimism nor pessimism. Around 31% are rather optimistic, while 25% are rather pessimistic. The remaining 4% are undecided.
