Role of Economic Sustainability in Strengthening National Security: Case of Post-Soviet Countries

This study focused on analysing the relationship between economic resilience and national security in the context of post-Soviet countries and Bulgaria. The research employed a comprehensive strategy, incorporating the examination of economic, demographic, and quantitative factors, alongside a comparative analysis methodology. The study found that the economy plays a key role in national security, protecting against external economic and political threats such as sanctions and trade wars, as well as internal risks related to corruption and inefficiency. The study summarised the effects of the loss of centralised economies and crises on the resilience of the economies of post-Soviet countries, including Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova. In contrast, Bulgaria utilised the opportunities of integration into the European Union (EU) to implement reforms aimed at strengthening economic resilience. The study analysed economic sustainability indicators such as gross domestic product per capita, external debt, corruption index, inflation, and unemployment. For example, in 2024 in Bulgaria, the corruption index was 43, the unemployment rate was 5.2%, and the inflation rate was USD 2.2. Furthermore, the contribution of digitalisation and innovative technologies to economic resilience and security was analysed. The study presented data on the e-government development index in Bulgaria and post-Soviet countries, reflecting the level of digitalisation in public administration. Kazakhstan and Ukraine show a strong level of implementation of digital services: in 2024, Ukraine ranked 30th and Kazakhstan ranked 24 among 193 countries, indicating advances in digital transformation. The study proposed strategic measures to enhance economic resilience and national security in the context of digitalisation, including developing digital skills, fighting corruption, protecting against external threats, and supporting high-tech industries.