European and Balkan Ruralism: Differences in Theory and Practice

Veselin BOYADZHIEV1, Neli VESELINOVA1
1 “St. Kliment Ohridski” University, Faculty of Geology and Geography, Department of Social and Economic Geography, Sofia, BULGARIA
E-mail: v.boiadjiev@abv.bg, n_veselinova@mail.bg
Pages: 211-217

Abstract. In the last decades of the last century the ruralism started a second life. It was forgotten until World War II. The reason was the industrialization. The industrialization had its own way of life, culture. It was not just economics. In the organization of space and territory the scars of the past are visible. The territorial priorities change often and slowly, but are they successful? There are difficulties in the rural policy in Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia during the recent years. The rural area provides rest in the west while on the Balkans in these territories is  the  most intensive agriculture and it is a place to work. If there is  western rural type policy for the development in the new period 2014 - 2020 in the European Union, the difficulties on the Balkans will continue. It requires flexibility, realism, compliance with the national specificities.

K e y w o r d s:  European Union, rural development, European ruralism, Balkan ruralism, urbanization, industrialization