The average monthly income per household for nearly 15 per cent of young Bulgarians, aged
between 15 and 30, is 1,500 leva; 50 per cent of respondents in this group have university education, 84 per cent live in Sofia or the regional centres, Marchela Abrasheva, Executive Director of BBSS - Gallup International, said at a press conference in the BTA's Press Club presenting the results of a survey.

The survey was conducted on request by UNDP. Attending its presentation was UNDP Resident Representative to Bulgaria Henry Jackelen.

The average monthly income per household for 75 per cent of young respondents is 810 leva; 60 per cent of them have secondary education, and 70 per cent live in Sofia or in the regional centers. The average monthly income per household for 10 per cent of respondents is 440 leva.

According to 56 per cent of the young interviewees Bulgaria's accession to the EU is good; 23 per cent expressed the contrary opinion.

A total of 31 per cent of young Bulgarians believe the EU membership will bring prosperity to educated and able persons; 23 per cent said ultimately it would bring prosperity to all.

Compared with the previous two or three years, household incomes in Bulgaria have not changed, according to 37 per cent of young people, 53 per cent of the middle-class interviewees and 41 per cent of Bulgarians as a whole. While 23 per cent of respondents, 19 per cent of middle-class representatives and half of Bulgarians as a whole admitted their household incomes wеre lower.

Views of the next two or three years are more optimistic: 47per cent of young people, 50 per cent of the middle class and 8 per cent of Bulgarians as a whole believe their household incomes will grow. However, 56 per cent of Bulgarians of full legal age expect their incomes to stay at their current level in the next two or three years.

Young people's economic attitudes are divided fifty-fifty in regard to the idea of "making incomes more equal" and its antithesis about "increasing income differences."
Most respondents believe that the private sector should expand. The larger part expressed the opinion that the state should assume more responsibility about people; an equal share described competition as something good.

Most of the interviewees are convinced that hard labour leads to a better life. Opinions are divided fifty-fifty over the question if one should get rich at the expense of others or wealth in general should increase to provide a fair share of it to all.

Work in return for a good pay is the idea about the future of 34 per cent of respondents; 30 per cent said they intended to conduct a business of their own; 14 per cent would like to become public servants.

Most preferred professions are those in the area of engineering and economics; next come agriculture, philology, finances, accounting, teaching, arts, social sciences, computer sciences, medicine and pharmacy, sports, law and international relations. Military education appears to be of the least interest.

As many as 44 per cent of young Bulgarians prefer to get their higher education in their homeland; 23 per cent would like to study in any of the EU countries, and 10 per cent in the United States.

A total of 27 per cent of the interviewees said they would like to work abroad for more than one year; only 8 per cent would emigrate abroad. Sixty per cent of those willing to go abroad are prepared to do any job; 32 per cent would practice their profession. Twenty per cent expressed a desire to go and work abroad in the next few years.

As to their attitudes to politics, 41 per cent of young Bulgarians and 53 per cent of middle-class respondents are inclined to vote at elections; one-third of young people aged between 18 and 30 and the representatives of the middle class do not see any point in going to the polls. Active voters are 18 per cent of young people and 8 per cent of middle-class respondents.

Nearly half of the interviewees would join a sign-in campaign as a type of civic activeness; 39 per cent would take part in charities; one-third are prepared to participate in volunteer campaigns and work for the society for free. One-third of respondents believe they can defend their rights petitioning some European court or institution, and to sue the state for infringement upon their rights. Thirty-one per cent of young people would join strikes or protest, rallies or demonstrations; 22 per cent would take part in actions of civil disobedience.