The distortions to normal economic and social life, created by material and other deprivations, have contributed to a dramatic rise in crime, much of which is highly organized. It has led to a sharp fall in the quality of life. This has resulted in the suppression of entrepreneurial initiative out of fear of robbery, and protection rackets. Governance and Participation One of the undoubted successes of the transition process, recognized by the NHDR, has been the transformation of political institutions without any serious violence, as well as the organization of parliamentary and Presidential elections which were acknowledged as free and fair. However, as observed, the economic and material hardships experienced by the population have created a certain amount of disillusionment about the possibilities of the politicians reversing current trends, hence reducing popular participation in the democratic process.
Human rights form the core of Bulgaria's new democratic Constitution.
Rights such as the right to association, to movement , freedom of speech and the free press have become part of every day life. Fundamental ethnic and religious rights have been acknowledged both legally and in practice. Thus the legal, institutional and cultural pre-conditions for continuing modernization of the country and for effective human development have been established. The changes have given rise to new opportunities for Bulgaria to emphasize its role in regional and global processes. However, in contrast to the mass expectation of the beginning of the 1990's, the transition to a market economy and democratic political institutions is proving to be much longer than assumed, and demands a high economic and social cost.