Today, 23 years after the fall of communism in Bulgaria, it can be said with a high degree of certainty that if the recipes and timetable provided in the Rahn-Utt plan were applied the transition to market economy and democracy would have been far smoother and more successful. Bulgaria would be much better prepared for EU membership and would not lag behind other Central European countries. The principles of a modern market economy and effective production lay in the basis of the report. The report attempted to show a way in which production could maintain market share and a competitive edge, a means by which to develop the industry and preserve agriculture, to reform the social sector, healthcare system and education. Its aims were to build and upgrade, not deteriorate or destroy.
For those with a short memory and lack of information, it is perhaps not difficult to draw incorrect conclusions and blame the Rahn-Utt plan for what occurred in the country during the past two decades. Inferring causality where there may be none has led to a negative perception about the plan amongst people in Bulgaria. It is clear, however, that the intention of its authors was to find the safest possible route for the country during a stormy and unprecedented transition. The advice presented in this report was not followed in a timely manner. On the contrary, many of the reforms introduced by politicians in the country were in direct opposition to the proposals of the report. For this reason much of it remained simply an untapped opportunity.