Bulgaria

A lightning bolt has stricken two women in a downtown park in the southern Bulgarian city of Kardzhali. The incident occurred at about 3 pm local time on Tuesday, the Bulgarian National Radio reported. The stricken bodies of the two women were found under a large tree where they apparently sought shelter from the rain and thunder storm. ...  

Bulgarian youths are the last to enter the labor market in Europe, the main reason being their lack of hands-on experience, according to Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Speaking Tuesday at the opening of the first session of the Education and Science Council at the President's Office titled "The Bulgaria 2020 Vision: National Priorities in Education and Science", Plevneliev noted that young Bulgarians entered the labor market at the age...  

Bulgaria's newly-appointed Ambassador to Greece Emiliya Kraleva has presented her credentials to Greece's President Karolos Papoulias. Kraleva is taking over, after Bulgaria's previous ambassador to Greece was recalled – together with some two dozens of other Bulgarian ambassadors around the world - over his collaboration with the former Bulgarian State Security (DS), the secret police and intelligence service of the communist. Kraleva is a...  

Bulgaria has restored international trust by installing the large-scale anti drug trafficking "Cocaine Kings" operation, stated Bulgarian Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov Tuesday. "Bulgarian organized crime has been tolerated by the political class in Bulgaria for the past 20 years," said Tsvetanov in an interview for TV7. Monday the Bulgarian Interior Minister had announced the "Cocaine Kings" operation set to crack down on an...  

More than 500 U.S. Airmen and two dozen F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing here recently returned from a deployment to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, where they spent a month conducting bi-lateral training with Bulgarian Airmen during Thracian Star 2012. The exercise was the largest of its kind hosted at Graf Ignatievo since Bulgaria joined the NATO alliance in 2004 and included both Aviano fighter squadrons from Aviano Air...  

Omer Toprak gave Turkey the lead in the 22nd minute when he was first to a corner from Nuri Sahin and poked the ball home at the near post. In the final minute of the match Turkey's best striker Burak Yilmaz doubled the score thanks to a great pass and ...  

Tsvetan Simeonov, Chair of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), has met with the Chair of the Iranian-Bulgarian Business Association Saeid Hadei, who has been representing the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines (ICCIM) in our country for a few months. In 2011, Bulgaria's exports to Iran registered an annual increase of 12.5% to a total of USD 77....  

Bulgarian companies have BGN 1 B at their disposal in state procurement contracts under EU programs, stated Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov. In an interview Tuesday, Borisov defended the economic policy of his center-right GERB cabinet, arguing that the country is doing very well in a time of crisis. He dismissed criticism of opposition leaders, in particular Movement of Rights and Freedoms chair Ahmed Dogan, as idle and unfounded. ...  

European club competition may have ended for the summer, but there is still plenty of soccer to be played. International friendly matches kick off today with a heated match between Bulgaria and Turkey. The Bulgaria v Turkey game will kick off ...  

According to Marinov, Balchik, also called the "White Town," is very suitable for the official start of the season since it combines natural, cultural and historical attractions for year-long tourist activities. "The season here never ends, because even ...  

Education and research in Bulgaria should be stimulated by the state to create a more competitive business environment, argued Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev. Tuesday Plevneliev called for a first sitting the Council on Education and Research at Bulgaria's Presidency. "The triangle comprised of research, business and the state is of utmost importance," stated the Bulgarian President. ...  

One of the few Bulgarian-owned banks, Corporate Commercial Bank, has sold its 8% stake in Bulgaria's largest cigarette producer Bulgartabac Holding. Corporate Commercial Bank has sold a total of 605 177 Bulgartabac shares, or 8.21% of the holding's capital, thus technically exiting the cigarette-maker. ...  

May 29 - Hundreds of small Greek entrepreneurs, pushed to the wall by rising taxes, fees and uncertainty at home are looking north to Bulgaria to transfer their companies and benefit from its favourable tax rates, cheap rent and labour. Ethan Bilby reports  

The levels of the rivers Struma, Tundzha and Iskar in Bulgaria are being closely monitored after several days of heavy spring rains. The Bulgarian Ministry of Interior informed that excessive precipitation combined with melting snow mandates the measure. Several villages have already experienced floods during last week. ...  

Electricity prices for household consumers are to increase by 3.8-9% from July 1, surcharges excluded, according to the preliminary estimates of Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) published on Monday. Following recent media ...  

Bulgaria's business climate has improved by 2.8% in May 2012 in comparison with the previous month, according to surveys carried out by the country's National Statistical Institute, NSI. The improvement is mainly attributed to the better business climate in construction, retail trade and the services sector. ...  

Danev spoke after meeting Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Delyan Dobrev. "Only for the past 3 months, 56,000 jobs and 27,000 SMEs have closed in Bulgaria," said the businessman. "Bulgaria needs a new anti-crisis program to prepare it for the ...  

The handles of the city clock in Bulgaria's Pernik are frozen at the time when the first and strongest quake shook the city one week ago. Photo by BGNES The shock was registered at 10:23 am with a magnitude of 3.8 points on the Richter scale. High school ...  

Several roads, among them some key ones, are partially closed across Bulgaria Tuesday due to landslides in the aftermath of long-lasting torrential rains. The "Petrohan" mountain pass in the Stara Planina range was temporarily closed after a phone call was placed early Tuesday morning to the 112 emergency hotline notifying about a large pile of rocks on the road. One lane is now open for traffic, but drivers are warned to exercise extreme...  

Bulgaria is a leader in forging product packaging, according to Ivan Savov, Regional Manager of Intertek-Moody Europe. Savov and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov opened Monday the Program for Combating Fake Certificates. Savov argued that 5% of the ...  

Romania hopes to capitalize on the decision of neighboring Bulgaria to ban smoking in all enclosed public spaces, as it may be seen as an attractive destination for tobacco-addicted tourists, media reports say. Tobacco-addicted summer holiday-makers can ...  

The districts at risk over downpours of rain are Sofia, Vidin, Vratsa, Montana, Lovech, Pleven, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan, Kardzhali, Haskovo, and Stara Zagora. The Institute at the ...  

The biggest concern for van Marwijk might not be the loss, but an injury. Central defender Joris Mathijsen was taken off in the 16th minute, and the extend of his injury is to be determined.  

Bulgaria registered the world's sixth-biggest fall in residential property prices during the firth quarter of the year in an unnoticeably feeble sign of optimism, a survey has shown. Bulgaria was one of several European housing markets, which experienced ...  

PFC Ludogorets Razgrad sealed an unprecedented domestic double in their first season in the Bulgarian A League after triumphing 1-0 in their final-day showdown with PFC CSKA Sofia. Champions: PFC Ludogorets Razgrad The Crazy Forest – as Ludogorets is ro ...  

Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart completed the four attacking positions. PSV defender Jetro Willems, who heard he was named in the final Euro 2012 squad earlier on Saturday, made his debut. The 18-year-old left back entered the top 10 of youngest ...  

Wesley Sneijder set up Rafael van der Vaart inside the area, but the Spurs star attempted to pick out Klaas-Jan Huntelaar rather than fire a shot towards the Bulgaria goal, and the opportunity dissipated. Oranje came close to opening the scoring ...  

In the second half we were too static. Our mistakes allowed them to be dangerous.' Valeri Bojinov went close to giving Bulgaria a shock lead five minutes from the break when he beat goalkeeper Tim Krul with a curling left-foot free kick only to see the ...  

The earthquake that the Bulgarian capital Sofia experienced at 3 am on Tuesday has been the strongest in its history since 1858, i.e. in 154 years, historical records indicate. On Tuesday, Bulgaria's territory saw over 60 weak aftershocks after the 5.8-5.9-magnitude it experienced early Tuesday morning, according to the Geophysics Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. All of the 60 aftershocks had magnitudes of over 1 on the Richter...  

Sophia Utrie, Green Bay, received a first-place in the kindergarten category for her story "The Craziest Campout Ever," and Hunter Guilette, Casco, received a Judge's Award in the first-grade category for his story "Mr. Rat in the Castle." The contest ...  

Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart completed the four attacking positions, reported Xinhua. PSV defender Jetro Willems, who heard he was named in the final Euro 2012 squad earlier Saturday, made his debut. The last debutant who was younger than ...  

US companies and Bulgarian entrepreneurs living in the US have shown considerable interest in investing in Bulgaria, according to James Warlick, American Ambassador to the Balkan country. Warlick and Bulgaria's Ambassador to the US, Elena Poptodorova, organized the second diplomatic tour across the US in an effort to attract American investors to Bulgaria. Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev also took part in the tour. ...  

The 2010 World Cup runners-up never got striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar into the game in a near full-strength Oranje team. But after Valeri Bozhinov had hit the crossbar with a 20-yard free kick for Bulgaria, the Dutch opened the scoring thanks to ...  

European club competition may have ended for the summer, but there is still plenty of soccer to be played. International friendly matches kick off today with a heated match between Netherlands and Bulgaria. The Netherlands v Bulgaria game will ...  

Litex’s Petar Zanev, Lokomotiv Sofia’sHristo Zlatinsk, Lech Poznan’s Aleksandar Tonev, Ilian Mitsanski from German FC Kaiserslautern, and Ivan Stoyanov from newly-crowned Bulgarian champion Ludogorets Razgrad. Bulgaria finally got the win after a ...  

Bulgaria hit back shortly after the break through an Ivelin Popov penalty after Rafael van der Vaart was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area while attempting a sliding block. The match looked to be heading for a draw until Mitsanski ...  

It took musicians from Sofia, Bulgaria, to perform and record the music of a young composer from Greenleaf. Alaric Coussons, 17, has been composing music since he was 14. Unable to find interested area college music faculty members to help him ...  

Bulgaria's Ilyan Mizanski headed a stoppage-time goal to inflict a shock 2-1 home defeat on the Netherlands in a Euro 2012 warm-up match on Saturday. Coach Bert van Marwijk, who named his 23-man squad for the tournament earlier in the day, suffered his first setback after 15 minutes when central defender Joris Mathijsen limped off and was replaced by Wilfred Bouma. read more  

But Bulgaria, who didn't qualify for the tournament, levelled four minutes into the second half with an Ivelin Popov penalty after a handball by Rafael van der Vaart. Striker Ilijan Mizanski hit the winner in the second minute of injury time on a counter-attack.  

3 thoughts on Netherlands 1-2 Bulgaria: The big story Joris Mathijsen was retreating back in defense 13 minutes into the contest when he pulled up lame inside the Holland penalty area. Mathijsen grabbed at his left hamstring before asking to be subbed off ...  

Bulgaria hit back shortly after the break through an Ivelin Popov penalty after Rafael van der Vaart was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area while attempting a sliding block. The match at Amsterdam Arena looked to be heading for a draw until ...  

Valeri Bojinov went close to giving Bulgaria a shock lead five minutes from the break when he beat goalkeeper Tim Krul with a curling ... 18-year-old debutant Jetro Willems at left back, making him the second-youngest Dutch international after ...  

But Bulgaria, who didn't qualify for the tournament, levelled four minutes into the second half with an Ivelin Popov penalty after a handball by Rafael van der Vaart. Striker Ilijan Mizanski hit the winner in the second minute of injury time on a counter-attack.  

Dutch Immigration Minister Gert Leers has expressed his optimism regarding Bulgaria's Schengen accession. "I am optimistic about Bulgaria's Schengen entry, since the country has good achievements. Measures have been undertaken on applying the law and combating organized crime," Leers has said after meeting Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. ...  

Coach Bert van Marwijk, who named his 23-man squad for the tournament earlier in the day, suffered his first setback after 15 minutes when central defender Joris Mathijsen limped off and was replaced by Wilfred Bouma. “"Joris felt something in his ...  

Wesley Sneijder set up Rafael van der Vaart inside the area, but the Spurs star attempted to find Klaas-Jan Huntelaar rather than fire it toward the Bulgaria goal, thus squandering the opportunity. Oranje came close to opening the scoring halfway through ...  

Sofia. Rain-showers are expected in West Bulgaria before noon, while around noon the rain will intensify, including in the central part of the country. It will be predominantly sunny in East Bulgaria most of the day but intensive cloudiness is expected in ...  

It is amazing for me, as a former Californian, to see the trouble, fear, and "journalistic opportunity" for dis-information about earthquakes that abounds in Bulgaria. In California, and other places on the "rim of fire" around the pacific ocean ...  

The visitors started strongly and came close to taking the lead but Valeri Bozhinov's free-kick hit the crossbar with Tim Krul, starting in place of the injured Maarten Stekelenburg, beaten all ends up. Joris Mathijsen was forced off with a hamstring ...  

Coach Bert van Marwijk, who named his 23-man squad for the tournament earlier in the day, suffered his first setback after 15 minutes when central defender Joris Mathijsen limped off and was replaced by Wilfred Bouma. The Dutch never got striker ...  

The number of football teams competing in Bulgaria's top-flight is be gradually reduced from 16 to 12 within three years, the Bulgarian Football Union has envisioned. The move is supposed to make the championship more attractive, Bulgarian Football Union head Borislav Mihaylovb has explained. A total of 14 clubs will play in Bulgaria's top division in the 2013/2014 season....  

However no one seemed to have told the Dutch defence they needed to pay attention. The Dutch had setbacks from the start when defender Joris Mathijsen limped off the pitch with a calf injury and was replaced by Wilfred Bouma. He is now doubtful for the ...  

The Dutch will travel to Poland and Ukraine shouldering high expectations, having finished runners-up to Spain at the World Cup two years ago. They have been drawn in the most difficult group, however, with Germany, Portugal and Denmark awaiting ...  

SOFIA (Reuters) - A technical glitch automatically shut down one unit at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear plant but did not pose a risk of nuclear contamination, the plant said on Sunday. The plant said the temporary closure of the 1,000-megawatt unit was ...  

The candidate of the opposition, left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, Georgi Rumenov, has won the Sunday mayoral runoff election in the southern Bulgarian town of Saedinenie. The information was announced personally by Sergey Stanishev, the reelected leader of Bulgaria's main opposition formation, Chairman of the Party of European Socialists, PES, and former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The other top contender was the nominee of the...  

No damages have been observed in the Southeastern Bulgarian roads as a result of the earthquake that jolted the region early on Tuesday. The Bulgarian Road Infrastructure Agency has inspected bridges on the Lyulin highway and the stretch of the Struma highway that is between Daskalovo and Dolna Dikanya, finding no problems or damages. Tuesday's earthquake had a magnitude of about 5....  

The result also failed to resolve the coach's dilemma over how best to play Arsenal star van Persie and Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar together in their best roles. Van Marwijk also has problems at left back with 18-year-old Jetro Willems, who has ...  

The sports manager of the Turkish football team Galatasaray, Bulent Tulun, has revealed that the club's negotiations with Bulgarian star striker, Dimitar Berbatov, have reached an advanced stage. The news was reported Monday by the Bulgarian Standard daily, citing Turkish press. "We are leading negotiations with players who will contribute very much to raising the level of our club....  

Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, who is on his first official visit to the US as Head of State, has met with the Bulgarian community in Seattle. About 40 expats attended the over-one-hour-long meeting where the discussion focused on issuing of ID papers and other documents, Bulgaria's need of IT specialists, and education. "I am happy Bulgarians are successful people all over the world....  

Young Bulgarians and guests from Italy, with support of the New Bulgarian University and project “Beautiful Europe” [bg] will meet on May 23 to discuss the “European idea” and what Europe means to Bulgarians at an event called “Blue Night” - an evening dedicated to the European idea [bg]. The...  

Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, promised financial assistance for people whose homes have been damaged by the strong earthquake that hit western Bulgaria in the wee hours Tuesday. Djankov says that State and municipal buildings will be repaired with government funds while other ways of financing will be sought for private homes, as was the case with the flooded village of Biser. After the appraisal and...  

The districts are: the city of Sofia, district of Sofia, Pernik, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Kardzhali, Haskovo, Stara Zagora, Sliven and Yambol. Code yellow means the weather is potentially dangerous, although the weather conditions ...  

Bulgaria remains one of the top holiday destinations for Russians, and expects a 30% y/y growth in the number of Russian visitors, according to the Bulgarian Consulate in Moscow. With the arrival of the summer tourist season the Bulgarian Consulate in the Russian capital is already issuing 3 000 visas daily, the Consulate said, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio Friday. For the first four months of 2012, Bulgaria has granted 11% more...  

President, Rosen Plevneliev, attended Saturday an emotional meeting with the Bulgarian community in Chicago. Plevneliev, who is on his first official visit to the US as Head of State, addressed the expats ahead of the NATO summit in Chicago. The city is home of the largest Bulgarian diaspora in North America. ...  

The Bulgarian economy will grow with 1.3% during 2012, according to an analysis by the Institute of Economics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences revealed Monday. The forecast is considered to be optimistic, but is still more conservative than the 1.4% ...  

The "businessman" whom the Bulgarian police authorities allegedly rescued from an assassination attempt is to be questioned on Wednesday, Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov has announced. Tsvetanov told the bTV channel that he cannot disclose the name of the alleged assassination target due to the upcoming questioning. However, he revealed that he has been "registered for numerous frauds" and was "beaten up years ago....  

The award has been allocated for the play "Women without a Man and Nothing Else" i.e. "The House of Bernarda Alba" by Federico García Lorca, which was directed by Sofia Ristevska. "We won in competition with 17 plays from Russia, Romania, Slovenia ...  

Bulgarian Deputy PM and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has been elected chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Bulgarian Finance Ministry announced. Djankov, who got the new job at the annual meeting of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, has thus become the first government minister from the former communist bloc to be elected at a top position in the EBRD since the bank...  

A bridge over the Struma River in southwestern Bulgaria between the towns of Sandanski and Petrich, near the village of Ribnik, collapsed Wednesday morning. The news was reported by the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, citing radio Blagoevgrad, and has been confirmed by the Interior Ministry. The reason for the collapse is not attributed to the strong earthquake that hit western Bulgaria Tuesday morning nor to the aftershocks, but to...  

SOFIA, Bulgaria (JTA) -- The stories – some months or years in the making -- started trickling in last year. Young successful families were showing up desperate. As Bulgaria’s program director for the American Joint Distribution Committee ...  

Former Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Daniel Valchev, has specified that the Bulgaria for Citizens movement, of which he is a co-founder, will be established as a political party by end-September. In a Friday interview for the morning broadcast of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), he explained that an initiative committee would be set up in two weeks' time. "If all goes well, we shall congratulate ourselves on...  

Cyril and Methodius created the Slavic alphabet and made the ... The Cyrillic alphabet has been in existence for more than eleven centuries, but it was introduced for the first time in the European Union after Bulgaria obtained full membership in 2007.  

Codes red and orange have been issued over upcoming floods for the river of Maritsa in southern Bulgaria. The code red is effective for Maritsa near the town of Harmanli and the code orange for areas near the towns of Parvomay and Svilengrad and the city of Plovdiv. There is also a code yellow for the rivers of Sazliyka near the town of Galabovo and of Tundzha near the city of Yambol, also in southern Bulgaria. ...  

Bulgaria has the financial resources to cope with the damages caused by the 5.9 earthquake on Tuesday and its aftermaths, the country's Finance Minister Simeon Djankov has stated. "Fortunately, the inspections so far have shown that the damages are insignificant....  

Bulgaria is one of the most active member state in the so called Poseidon operation run by the EU's Warsaw-based border control agency, Frontex, an internal document has shown. An internal document sent by the Danish EU presidency to the EU Council in late April - and seen by EUobserver - outlines how individual member states participate in the so called Poseidon operation run by the EU's Warsaw-based border control agency, Frontex. Poseidon...  

Bulgaria is one of the biggest producers of rose oil in the world, made from a special type of rose that was cultivated in the region after many years of development. Photo by BGNES From May 19 to June 24, the town Kazanlak will host the 2012 Rose Festival.  

A new earthquake with a magnitude of 2.8 on the Richer scale has been registered near the Bulgarian capital Sofia and the western city of Pernik. The new aftershock – which follows the May 22, 2012, earthquake in Western Bulgaria with a magnitude of 5....  

PERNIK, Bulgaria, May 22 (UPI) -- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook western Bulgaria Tuesday, officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage. B92 reported the epicenter of the shallow temblor was near Pernik, about ...  

The tourism unit of Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism is to be relocated from Sofia to the country's second largest city of Plovdiv as of September 1 2012. 38 out of a total of 41 tourism unit employees have said that they are ready to move to Plovdiv, the Bulgarian National Radio informs. The country's Executive Agency on Fisheries and Aquaculture will be moved from the capital to the Black Sea city of Burgas....  

A strong aftershock has jolted the Bulgarian capital Sofia at 4:31 am on Tuesday, about 1.5 hours after the strong earthquake in Western Bulgaria. No casualties or injuries have been registered in Bulgaria as a result of the strong earthquake that jolted the country at 2:58 am on Tuesday, the Civil Protection Service reported. ...  

A strong 5.8-magnitude earthquake was reported in Bulgaria's early on Tuesday, without resulting in any casualties or significant damage. The epicenter of the shallow tremor was located near the town of Pernik, some 24 kilometers west of the capital city of Sofia.  

The post-Cold War story in Bulgaria is a strange brew of too much pain and disappointment, emigration en masse, cautious optimism, and some progress. Entire regions of the country are fully depopulated and there are villages with just 3 or 4 elderly people ...  

Bulgaria remains the country with the lowest income tax rate in the European Union, according to the 2012 annual report of the European Commission on taxation trends in the EU. Bulgaria also has the lowest corporate tax level. With its income tax rate of 10%, Bulgaria ranks way below the 38% average in the EU and the 43% average in the eurozone. ...  

Photo by adventuretravelnews.com Bulgaria will be presented as an adventure tourism destination by the Adventure Trade Travel Association, an international body, the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism announced. The head of the Bulgarian Association ...  

A strong storm has hit Sofia and Western Bulgaria just hours after the major earthquake that rattled the same region. Strong gusts of wind, hail, and torrential rain were registered in the Bulgarian capital Tuesday afternoon, after amidst continuing aftershocks from the 2:58 am earthquake that hit Sofia and the city of Pernik with a magnitude of 5.8-5....  

The earthquake that jolted parts of Bulgaria in the small hours of Tuesday was lighter than the buildings in Sofia and the rest of the country could sustain, according to a statement of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. The media statement draws attention to the fact that the damage caused by the jolt measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale was insignificant and there were no casualties. ...  

Debts of municipal authorities in Bulgaria assembled in 2010 have grown with 33% with respect to 2009, according to a study by Bulgaria's National Audit Office. The total loans of municipalities by the end of 2010 amounted to BGN 842.45 M, with BGN 1....  

The International Arbitration Court in Paris has ruled against the Bulgarian state in a dispute with Viva Ventures over the ownership of the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC), now known under its brand name Vivacom. Read the story »  

Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Minister, Delyan Dobrev, is discussing Thursday with bank creditors the future of the Kardzhali Lead and Zinc Complex (LZC; OTZK). OTZK is the largest Bulgarian producer of non-ferrous metals in the southern city of Kardzhali, providing until recently livelihood of many in the city and the region. OTZK has been out of operation in the past five months due to the plant's failure to meet environmental safety...  

Bulgaria's Parliament is expected to ratify the agreement between the Bulgarian Nabucco company and the international Nabucco Consortium for the furthering of the eponymous gas pipeline project. The agreement was approved by the country's Parliament in March. The ratification is an obligation of every country party to the Nabucco project, with which countries commit to creating beneficial regulatory conditions for the execution of the...  

Government officials, fire safety experts and engineers are conducting inspections in southwestern Bulgaria for damages caused by the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck in the small hours of Tuesday. Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova and Lazar Lazarov, Chair of the Managing Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA), accompanied by a group of construction engineers and experts from the RIA laboratory, started Tuesday morning...  

Anti-Muslim discrimination continues to grow in Bulgaria, with no legislative reforms or judicial actions taken in the past year to secure Muslim rights, Press TV reports. Bulgarian Muslims are concerned by the rising trend of discrimination against Muslim ...  

The Bulgarian NGO Zeleni Balkani ("Green Balkans") and its wildlife rescue center have been successful in breeding saker falcons, which are extinct in the wild in Bulgaria. A young saker falcon has hatched in the Zeleni Balkani rescue center; its parents come from Slovakia, and were transported to Bulgaria earlier this year as part of a project entitled "Saker Falcon in Bulgaria – Research and Preservation", which aims at reintroducing the...  

MOSCOW, May 17 (UPI) -- Russian natural gas company Gazprom said April contracts with Bulgarian shareholders meant the South Stream natural gas pipeline was moving ahead as planned. Bulgarian shareholders in the South Stream natural gas projects ...  

The US teen pop star and actor, Selena Gomez, is in Bulgaria to shoot "The Getaway" co-starring Ethan Hawke. Photo courtesy of 24 Hours daily The news about the strong earthquake that hit Bulgaria overnight spread immediately on social networks and made ...  

Sofia. Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko and a parliamentary delegation headed by her is to pay an official visit to Bulgaria on 23 and 24 May 2012 at the invitation of Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Tsetska ...  

Albena Open 2012The International Open Chess Tournament Albena 2012 will take place from 26th May to 3rd June at the Albena Sports Hall, in Albena, Bulgaria.The 9-round Swiss open is organized by the Bulgarian Chess Federation, Chess Club “Dobrich – Albena” and Albena JSCo.Albena is one of the most popular resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea.It is located 11 km south of Balchik and 30 km north of Varna – the sea capital of Bulgaria. Albena...  

As Cloud Expo in New York approaches, I'm working to update my Tau Index country rankings. The index integrates economic data with national ICT expenditures, Internet access and speeds, and societal factors. I've created a "raw" index that simply measures ...  

Bulgaria's prosecuting authority has renewed the investigation of the death of a 15-year-old girl in a state-run institution for children with disabilities. Bulgaria's Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Galina Toneva, explained Monday that the flaws in the investigation were due to personal errors, not institutional errors. Last week, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) voiced plans to file a lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) due...  

The Bulgarian national football team will not indefinitely hold its doors open to Dimitar Berbatov, said national head coach Lyuboslav Penev at a press-conference Monday. Penev commented the recent extension of an invitation to Berbatov to return to play for Bulgaria, an offer he said he will consider, but is not yet ready to accept. "Berbatov does not feel ready yet to play for the national team....  

An official delegation from China visited Monday the Spezialized Unit for Combatting Terrorism at Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior. The delegation was headed by Wang Lequan, member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee. The Chinese guests were welcomed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior Chief Secretary Kalin Georgiev and of the anti-terrorism unit head Kiril Dimov. ...  

Even most experienced travelers don’t know much about Bulgaria, even though it’s one of the best—if not the best—values in Europe. It’s also got far more green space than most of the other more crowded EU countries. This was the third stop on my Eastern European jaunt. (See Why Travel to Slovakia? and A Little [...] Related posts:Travel Prices in Slovakia A Little Taste of Transylvania Why Travel to Slovakia?  

Employees of Bulgaria's State Railways company, BDZ Holding, from all over the country will stage a mass protest rally on May 30. The rally under the motto "No to the Ruin of Bulgaria's Railways," is going to be held in the capital Sofia, at 1 pm, in front of the building of the Ministry of Transport. The railroad workers' union at the Confederation of Free and Independent Syndicates in Bulgaria, KNSB, has already started a petition in all...  

The 11% discount on gas supplies from Russia is tied to fast-tracking the South Stream gas pipeline, according to Delyan Dobrev, Bulgaria's Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism. In a Monday interview for the morning broadcast of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), he specified that Bulgaria was to wrap up the paperwork on project by November 15, with Russia planning to start construction works in December. Dobrev announced that...  

Macedonia's former Deputy Agriculture Minister Zoran Danevski has been arrested in Bulgaria, according to the Radko Association, a political organization of Macedonian citizens with Bulgarian national consciousness. The association has called for Danevski's release, as they believe the trial against him in Skopje will have political grounds, the Bulgarian National Radio has informed. Danevski is suspected of robbing Macedonia's state budget...  

The Netherlands will wait for the report of the European Commission on Bulgaria under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism before deciding if it would support the country's joining of the Schengen area. The news emerged during talks in Chicago between Bulgaria's President, Rosen Plevneliev, and Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte. Plevneliev is on his first official visit to the US as Head of State and is taking part in the NATO summit...  

Selena Gomez was thrilled to see Bulgaria’s Eurovision contestant from last year, singer Poli Genova, perform at a club in Bulgaria. While being in the crowd with the fans for a change, Selena spent the evening dancing with 10 body guards ...  

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake, the strongest since 1917, shook Bulgaria's capital Sofia and the perimeter zone of around 100 km last night, followed by a number of strong aftershocks. No victims have been reported so far. The website Earthquake Reports has published live updates and social networks such as Twitter...  

SOFIA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's national qualification for the 11th "Chinese Bridge", Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, was held here on Monday. Seven students representing three Bulgarian universities showed their ...  

(CNN) -- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Bulgaria on Tuesday, about 14 miles outside the capital of Sofia, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was less than six miles deep, the USGS said. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.  

It is high time for the state and the business sector to wake up and to start working together so that Bulgaria gains worldwide popularity as a top business destination, Maxim Behar, a prominent Bulgarian media and public relations expert, has advised. In a Thursday interview for Bulgaria on Air TV channel, the founder and CEO of M3 Communications Group Inc. highlighted the profitable tax policy and the positive attitude of Bulgarian...  

Bulgaria and Qatar are to establish joint companies in the fields of sheep-breeding and bee-keeping, Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov announced on Friday. Qatar is interested in importing lamb, as well as white and yellow cheese from Bulgaria, it was also made clear as officials from the two countries met in Sofia. Naydenov and Qatar's Minister of Environment H....  

Just 42% of Bulgarians aged 19-24 are interested in continuing and finishing their studies, according to official national statistics revealed Saturday. Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute revealed that less than half of Bulgaria's college student aged population are really interested in their studies. According to Eurostat data released earlier, some 14% of Bulgarians in that age group (19-24) have prematurely left their studies. ...  

The vanishing of sentenced Bulgarian businessmen known as Galevi Brothers will have a negative effect on the EU's July monitoring report on Bulgaria, according to Bulgarian Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov. "Of course, there is no way that this event can be positively taken. The European Commission has repeatedly insisted that it wants to see criminals punished," explained Tsvetanov. ...  

Bulgarian alleged drug overlord Hristoforos Amanatidis, aka Taki, has been detained in Dubai and is currently waiting to be transferred to Bulgaria, stated Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. Tsvetanov thus confirmed an earlier report this week citing the detention of Amanatidis in Dubai, following an Interpol arrest warrant, after he fled Bulgaria in 2008. According to the Bulgarian Minister of Interior, Taki has been detained at...  

(AGI) Sofia - In the night, a quake with magnitude 6.3 on the Richter scale 5,8 hit western Bulgaria, and was felt in the capital, Sofia. There the inhabitants ran in the streets while the top floors were still rocking. No injuries were reported. A few ...  

Words: T. Bird A few weeks ago, my good friend and photographer E-Stone and I got to accompany an eclectic group of riders to Bansko, Bulgaria. I’d gotten the tip from a buddy of mine that works for Method Magazine while I was over in Barcelona on vacation. I had mentioned that Bulgaria was on my to-do list and he perked up and immediately started searching his computer for a contact that could make it happen. Needless to say, it did. With...  

Rumen Ovcharov, one of the most influential figures of Bulgaria's main opposition party, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, stated he will be quitting the chair of the Socialists' Sofia organization. Saturday the Sofia unit of the Bulgarian Socialist Party is holding a sitting of review and regional leader election, ahead of the party congress next weekend at which socialists will elect their party leader. "12 years are enough....  

Bulgaria's Health Minister, Desislava Atanasova, launched Sunday the National Day of Sports in the capital Sofia's South Park. The Minister spoke about the harmful effects of smoking and voiced satisfaction from the fact that fewer children are tempted by trying cigarettes. The day continued with the mass participation of children of all ages in games of volleyball, basketball, badminton, martial arts, jogging and football at special fields...  

SOFIA, Bulgaria — The U.S. Geological Survey says a moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck near the Bulgarian capital of Sofia early Tuesday. There are no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage. The U.S.G.S. said the quake struck ...  

Over 1 million Romanian tourists will visit Bulgaria in 2012, Bulgaria's Deputy Economy Minister in charge of tourism, Ivo Marinov, predicted. Marinov spoke at a tourism forum in Romania's capital Bucharest on Friday during the 8th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, as cited by Cross. He noted that a total of 960 365 Romanians visited Bulgaria in 2011, an increase of 4....  

Bulgarian customs officers have discovered a total of 67 kilograms of cocaine hidden In a combine harvester traveling from Argentina to the Netherlands, it has been announced. According to the Bulgarian authorities, the cocaine was worth around BGN 100 M (approximately EUR 50 M). The combine harvester was found in a ship traveling from the Black Sea city of Varna to the Danube city of Ruse, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency says....  

The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Foods is planning special measures to promote Bulgarian rose oil and products made from it across the globe. The information was reported Thursday by Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, during his visit to the capital of the country's Rose Valley – the town of Kazanlak, where he officially opened the renovated building of the State Forestry. According to the Minister, the Bulgarian rose oil is...  

A file photo dated June 11, 2004 shows Joanna James (L), Advent International Managing Director, and Nikolay Vassilev, Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister, marking the formal finalization of the sale of 65% stake in the Bulgarian telecom. Photo by SPA ...  

Bulgaria managed to negotiate special terms for the supply of Russian gas regardless of its abrupt withdrawal from the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and the Belene NPP energy projects, Russian media outlets note. Gazprom is expected to offer Bulgaria a discount of 11.1% on gas prices in 2012 and may also eliminate intermediary companies from the supply chain in exchange for the country's support for the South Stream gas pipeline project...  

SOFIA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A visiting senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday said China is willing to enhance bilateral exchange with Bulgaria. During a meeting with Bulgarian parliament speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, Wang Lequan ...  

May 3 saw the much awaited sentences of Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, Bulgarian gangsters more commonly known as the "Galevi" brothers. Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cessation decreased Galev's sentence for leading an armed criminal group from 7 to 5 years – since, even though weapons were discovered, the court found no proof they were used (!?) Anyhow, everyone was delighted that Bulgarian mobsters will spend several years in prison for a...  

The Central Depositories of Bulgaria and Romania have signed a cooperation agreement, thus establishing a direct link with each other. The agreement was signed by Bulgarian Central Depository CEO Ivan Dimov and his Romanian counterpart Adriana Tanasoiu. The Romanian depository is the first foreign depository institution to become a member of Bulgaria's Central Depository. ...  

A couple of dozen Bulgarian citizens assembled Saturday in the park next to the Bulgarian Parliament in Sofia to demand radical change and a transition to direct democracy. Gathered under the slogan "End Lies and Exploitation! Time for Direct Democracy," protesters said they were inspired by the global revival of Occupy and Indignants movements with the spring. The pro-democratic drift of the rally laid an emphasis on the abolition of...  

The Head of the Seismology Department at the National Institute in Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography, at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS, Emil Botev, firmly rejects any possible connection between local and Italian earthquakes. Speaking Tuesday, in the aftermath of the 3.8 magnitude on the Richter scale aftershock that rattled Bulgaria's Pernik region one week after the 5....  

The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Kirill, gave his blessings to the religious Bulgarians after arriving in Sofia on Friday. "I have been to Bulgaria many times and my heart is always open for the Bulgarian believers and the Bulgarian people," Patriarch Kirill declared. "May peace and well-being prevail on this remarkable land and the Bulgarian nation," he added, blessing the Bulgarians after landing in Sofia at about...  

Bulgaria's professional boxer Kubrat Pulev, aka "The Cobra", who is a reserve sergeant from the Bulgarian Army, has been awarded by Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov for landing the EBU European heavyweight title. Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev won on Saturday the EBU European heavyweight title as he battered and stopped Alexander "Sascha" Dimitrenko of Germany (a Ukrainian native) in a face-off in the professional boxing championship in...  

Bulgaria's Specialized Prosecutor's Office has charged well-known businessman Grisha Ganchev with running an organized crime group specialized in tax fraud and with issuing a murder threat. Ganchev has been released on a bail amounting to BGN 500 000. The evidence gathered so far indicates that Ganchev ran the six-strong group that was busted on May 11 after a joint operation of the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP) and...  

Bucharest. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and a delegation he is to head are to attend an international conference titled Challenges and Opportunities for EU’s Future Budget – Friends of Cohesion Policy, announced the government’s press service.  

SOFIA (Reuters) - A Bulgarian business tycoon who owns a soccer club was charged on Tuesday with running a tax fraud crime ring and making a death threat against the head of the country's tax-collecting agency. The case against Grisha Ganchev is part of ...  

Ivan Kostov, leader of Bulgaria's right-wing Democrats for Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party, has declared that he has no intention of quitting after his coalition partner decided to break up with him. On Tuesday, the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) decided it would take part in the 2013 general elections on its own, thus practically ending its partnership with DSB within the so-called Blue Coalition. The move prompted UDF leader and Blue...  

The trial against Bulgarian Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov who has allegedly disclosed classified information to the general public is to enter the Sofia City Court on Tuesday. The case was opened on a tip-off from the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) that ...  

If Bulgaria's rightist Blue Coalition falls apart, Martin Dimitrov is ready to resign as the leader of one of the two main coalition partners, the Union of Democratic Forces. Strong rifts in the coalition emerged before presidential and municipal elections in Bulgaria October 2011, when the Union and other partner, Ivan Kostov's Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, failed to reach complete consensus on candidates. The coalition, which currently...  

In 2001 Borisov served as bodyguard to Bulgaria's former king, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who returned from nearly half a century of exile to run for parliament and become prime minister. Borisov so impressed the king that he gave him a government job only ...  

Russian Patriarch Kirill, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria, is serving Sunday together with Bulgarian counterpart Patriarch Maxim as solemn mass at the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in capital Sofia. The Bulgarian patriarchical cathedral, named after the 13th century Russian prince-saint, is thronged by hundreds of ordinary Bulgarians and high-ranking guests. ...  

The first young eastern imperial eagles in Bulgaria for 2012 have hatched in the wild Sakar and Strandzha Mountains in Bulgaria's south-eastern corner. In the last few days three of the monitored imperial eagle couples have hatched out their young, announced the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB). Breeding in southeastern Europe through Central Asia, the eastern imperial eagle is classified as a vulnerable species worldwide...  

Days before their crucial congress, Bulgaria's opposition Socialist party leader has addressed members and supporters, stressing the need to unite against ruling GERB. "Before, during, and after the congress we must be united in out fight against the currently ruling party GERB, which is destroying Bulgaria," Sergey Stanishev said in his short address. He stressed that people see the Socialist party as the only alternative to GERB and did...  

Bulgarian officials will not boycott the Euro 2012 football championship in Ukraine due to concerns about the treatment of jailed former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has said. "Boycott is definitely not the way that we ...  

Bulgaria's government has gotten Georgia's authorities to agree to almost double the number of permits for Bulgarian freighters and transport companies, the Bulgarian Transport Ministry announced. After negotiations, Bulgaria and Georgia have agreed to increase the number of universal freighter permits (which are valid for both bilateral and transit services) from 800 to 1 500. The number of permits for/to a third party has been also been...  

The European Commission has revised sharply downwards its forecast for Bulgaria's economy, estimating it is to grow just 0.5% this year. The European Union executive previously estimated that the economy of the Balkan country will grow 1....  

Former European Commissioner and former Bulgarian Presidential runner Meglena Kuneva announced officially the transformation of her civic movement to a political party on Europe Day, May 9. "Bulgaria for Citizens" will provide solutions for Bulgarians, so that they may have an alternative other than Terminal 2," said Meglena Kuneva at the event in the Danube town of Ruse, referring to the large number of Bulgarians leaving the country in...  

The First International Investment Conference "Bulgaria: Business Up" is taking place in the Bulgarian capital Sofia on Friday. "Bulgaria: Business UP" is a new initiative designed to analyze and promote Bulgaria's advantages as a foreign investment destination. The forum will be opened by Bulgarian Economy Minister Delyan Dobrev, Deputy Finance Minister Boryana Pencheva, and InvestBulgaria ...  

The three brown bear cubs born in the Stara Zagora Zoo in January have become celebrities in Bulgaria. The zoo in the southern Bulgarian city of Stara Zagora released Monday photos of the four-month-old cubs, generating much enchantment with the Bulgarian public. Each of the three cubs, who were born in January to mother Bella and father Mark Anthony, now weighs about 3....  

It has been verified that 32-year-old Plamen Petkov, a Bulgarian, has died saving the life of a British child on the beach at West Wittering, West Sussex. Witnesses said Petkov was at the beach with a girl. He plunged into the water when he saw a four-year ...  

Hundreds of residents of the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna have rallied to protest against construction plans of a powerful murky business group for the city's Sea Garden. This is the second protest rally, after a protest in April, against the development plans of "Holding Varna", a company related to locally all-powerful shady TIM consortium, which include the demolition of the vast park's seaside alley to erect a number of business...  

Bulgaria will recover 11 fortresses and hundreds of other historic sites over the next two years, Bulgarian Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova has announced. A total of BGN 300 M (approximately EUR 152 M) will be invested in the project. The Madara Rider, a medieval rock relief, Pliska - the first capital of the First Bulgarian Empire, the historic village of Arbanasi, as well as the medieval Asen's Fortress are among the sites to...  

The former Mayor of Bulgaria's western town of Dupnitsa, Plamen Sokolov, labeled the disappearance of the notorious alleged mobster pair Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, better known as the Galevi brothers, "an organized circus." The two vanished just days after being sentenced by Bulgaria's Supreme Court to serve time in jail. ...  

Naydenov's talks with Sutour, who is on an official two-day visit to Bulgaria, revolved around Bulgaria's main priorities, including the country's Schengen bid, the EU cohesion policy, the common agricultural policy, and Bulgaria's stance on the multi ...  

Bulgaria celebrates Friday, May 6, the Day of Saint George the Victorious, and the Day of the Bulgarian Army. May 6 was officially pronounced as the Day of the Bulgarian Army on January 9, 1880, shortly after the establishment of the country's military with a decree of Knyaz Alexander Battenberg. After the Communist regime came to power, in 1946, the holiday was banned to be reinstated on January 27, 1993 with a decision of the Bulgarian...  

Bulgaria's Ambassador in Sarajevo Angel Angelov presented his credentials to the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegovic, on Tuesday. In talks after the ceremony, Angelov emphasized the importance that Bulgaria attaches to the European and Euro-Atlantic prospects of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has said in a statement. Bakir Izetbegovic expressed thanks for the efforts of Bulgaria...  

Novinite.comEastern Bulgaria under Code Yellow over DownpoursNovinite.comRain will persist over the weekend for eastern Bulgaria. File photo by Sofia Photo Agency Code yellow for potentially dangerous weather has been declared Saturday for 14 Bulgarian regions due to the forecast for torrential rains.and more »  

Novinite.comHow to reach from Dubai to BulgariaDubai ChronicleOne of the top summer holiday destinations in 2012 is without a doubt Bulgaria. It was recently voted by UK tourists the cheapest European country for vacations, and it is well-known for its striking nature and rich cultural inheritance.From Dubai to Bulgaria and Back during Summer Holiday MonthsNovinite.comall 3 news articles »  

Bulgarians will go out on a large-scale protest against government policy on May 1, stated Party of European Socialists and Bulgarian Socialist Party leader Sergey Stanishev Sunday. Speaking in an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, the socialist leader slammed the cabinet headed by center-right GERB party chair, PM Boyko Borisov, as leading an incompetent policy in times of crisis. "It's not just the socialists, a lot of people in...  

China is going to invest some USD 1.5 B in the Bulgarian economy in the upcoming years, according to Viktor Azmanov, chair of the Bulgarian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Azmanov said the governments of Bulgaria and China have already signed an economic cooperation memorandum that will enable the opening of several factories in Bulgaria with Chinese investments, creating up to 500 jobs. ...  

A large amount of money has been stolen in a brazen ATM robbery from the lobby of the Bulgaria's Sozopol Town Hall building. The ATM, from which about BGN 90 000 have been stolen, is located right across the "Local Revenues and Taxes" department of the municipality of Bulgaria's Black Sea town. The robbery is a total mystery since the ATM is connected to a security firm which never noticed it....  

Bulgarian vice-PM and Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov. Photo by BGNES Bulgarian Minister of Interior Tsvetan Tsvetanov has joined the chorus of senior politicans assuring that convicted mobsters known as the Galevi Brothers will be found and brought ...  

Bulgarians living abroad wired a total of BGN 62 M (some EUR 30 M) to their relatives living in Bulgaria in February 2012, according to data of the Bulgarian National Bank. In January, the Bulgarian migrant remittances reached EUR 57 M. Over the past three years, the migrant remittances poured into the Bulgarian economy reached some EUR 2....  

Worlds are colliding as a flood of impoverished Bulgarians and Romanians stream into Germany, overwhelming authorities. But efforts to help integrate the new residents have been sluggish and many of the immigrants find themselves awash in a system they don't understand.  

Bulgarian heavywieght boxer Kubrat Pulev has climbed up to the fourth spot in the BoxRec World Heavyweight Ranking after winning the EBU European heavyweight title. Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev AKA "The Cobra" won Saturday the EBU European heavyweight title as he battered and stopped Alexander "Sascha" Dimitrenko of Germany (a Ukrainian native) in a face-off in the professional boxing championship in Erfurt, Germany. Pulev has thus climbed...  

Serbia will not become a member of the European Union until it resolves the issue with its Bulgarian minority, Bulgaria's Vice President Margarita Popova has declared. Popova visited the town of Bosilegrad in Serbia, which is populated by ethnic Bulgarians, not onlike other border regions in Eastern Serbia, which Bulgaria was forced to cede under the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine after World War I. The regions in today's Serbia, which are...  

Bulgarian MEP Andrey Kovachev has vowed to inform the European Parliament about the recent accident in which Bulgarian Ambassador to Macedonia Ivan Petkov was attacked in Skopje bring flowers to the tomb of revolutionary Gotse Delchev. On Friday, Petkov and a Bulgarian delegation were not admitted to Delchev's grave and were allegedly assaulted by a group of nationalist Macedonian "hooligans," with no one being hurt. "It is very...  

Bulgarian President and Commander in Chief, Rosen Plevneliev, congratulated Sunday the country's servicemen for their active contributions to international peacekeeping and security. Plevneliev spoke during the military parade, the very first one for him as Commander in Chief, held in downtown Sofia and dedicated to May 6, the Day of Army Valor. He stressed that Bulgarian soldiers serve with honor on three continents, fulfilling...  

Thousands of Bulgarians across Bulgaria are going out Saturday on a campaign to clean rubbish from streets and parks. The campaign, initiated and supported by a network of public institutions, media and companies, attempts to raise awareness about problems with waste disposal. In addition to cleaning up, the "Let's Clean Bulgaria for One Day" action intends to somehow counteract a popular Bulgarian practice of throwing your trash wherever it...  

A total of 26.1% of all Bulgarians would vote for ruling centrist-right GERB party if general elections were to take place now, according to a poll conducted by the Mediana agency. Left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party is supported by 20% of the population, while ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms has 6....  

Bulgarians and visitors to the country are in for a sizzling hot summer, which was already heralded by the record-highs at the beginning of May. In May and June, temperatures will come off the boil regularly with spells of cold northwestern air cooling down the country, only for the sweltering weather to be back with a vengeance. The sizzling weather will continue sweeping Bulgaria in July and will reach its peak in August, turning it into...  

Bulgaria's brand-new Black Sea airport in the northeastern town of Balchik is set to welcome its first passengers after being transformed from a military into civilian airport, its director announced. On May 3, Thursday, Balchik Airport will receive a 9-seat passenger jet from the Prague Airport Ruzyne in the Czech Republic, according to Krasimir Kostov, chief of the newest Bulgarian airport. As of September 21, 2011, the military airport in...  

High-ranking Bulgarian statespersons attended Monday the first-ever display of the world famous Panagyurishte Thracian Treasure in the town near which it was found. The treasure was uncovered by three local brothers near central Bulgarian town of Panagyurishte in 1949, and has since made world renown as one of the top works of art of the Thracian civilization. "Today's return of the treasure to Panagyurishte is an investment in our nation's...  

The air forces of the USA and Bulgaria have started the most large-scale military aviation drills of their type entitled "Thracian Star 2012". The drills at the Graf Ignatievo Air Base near the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv are conducted jointly by the Bulgarian Air Force, the Romanian Air Force, and the 31st Force Support Squadron stationed at the Aviano Air Base, a NATO Air Base under US Air Force administration in northeastern Italy...  

By Lina Giannarou Kathimerini For that small group of courageous young Greek entrepreneurs who have decided to start working for themselves, the big question is no longer the "how" but the "where," given the hostile environment for business in Greece, not to mention ever-increasing taxes. ...  

Several central government agencies in Bulgaria will no longer operate from Sofia, but will be based in other cities, revealed Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov Sunday. This will be made in an effort to make their work more effective, create opportunities in other cities, and disburden the Bulgarian capital, said the PM during a visit to Plovdiv. Among the most important moves is the shifting to Plovdiv of the Tourism Unit of Bulgaria's Ministry of...  

The official start of the summer tourist season will be given by the end of May, according to the Deputy Economy Minister in charge of the Tourist Industry, Ivo Marinov. The date is most likely going to be scheduled around the Day of Slavic Script and Culture, May 24, when Bulgarians get four days off, according to Marinov, who spoke in a TV interview Tuesday. The Deputy Minister informed that the country expects an increase of anywhere...  

A total of 15 companies have made bids in the tender for the engineering and construction of the southwestern Bulgarian highway Struma (running from Sofia to the Greek border), including several unexpected first-timers. The 15 bids for the construction of Lot 2 of the Struma Highway, a 37-km section from the town of Dupnitsa to the city of Blagoevgrad were opened on Friday. The bidders which have never tried out for a Bulgarian highway...  

Bulgaria is trying to use its right to veto within the EU as a means for blackmail, according to Macedonia's former Foreign Minister Slobodan Casule. Casule's statement is provoked by Bulgarian Vice President Margarita Popova, who recently declared that Serbia may not join the EU unless it resolves the issue with its Bulgarian minority. Popova made that statement in the Serbian town of Bosilegrad, which is populated by ethnic Bulgarians, not...  

Unity is vital for the preservation of the cultural roots and traditions of Bulgarians in Serbia, stated Bulgarian VP Margarita Popova Monday Sunday and Monday Popova is on a visit to the town Bosilegrad in Eastern Serbia, the region where the country's ethnic Bulgarian minority is concentrated. "The Bulgarian community in Serbia must be united, for it is a bridge between the two countries," stated Popova, stressing that more efforts are...  

Mobsters Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, better known as the Galevi brothers, have fled Bulgaria with fake passports and forty million levs in cash, according to local media reports. Just a day after the notorious pair was sentenced by Bulgaria's Supreme Court to serve time in jail, the two underground bosses entered Greece with fake passports, riding one of their luxurious cars, and flew to South Africa, locals told Struma daily. The fake...  

The Tourism Unit of Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism will be moved to second-larges city Plovdiv from capital Sofia. This was announced Sunday by Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov to Plovdiv to officially launch a number of renovated sites. "The Tourism Unit of the Ministry, together with vice-minister Ivo Marinov, will be moving to Plovdiv," said the Bulgarian PM. ...  

Employees of the Lead and Zinc Complex (LZC; OTZK), the largest Bulgarian producer of non-ferrous metals in the southern city of Kardzhali, will renew protests on Tuesday due to the uncertain future of the plant. OTZK has been out of operation in the past five months due to the plant's failure to meet environmental safety requirements. OTZK owner Valentin Zahariev also failed to complete the investment program of the plant and to pay...  

Workers of the Lead and Zinc Complex in Kardzhali renewed last week their protest rallies over the uncertain future of the plant. Photo by BGNES The workers renewed their protests last week due to the uncertain future of the plant. OTZK has been out of ...  

Over 1500 years of history, rich cultural traditions and well-known hospitality always remain indisputable attractions for the millions of tourists who visit Bulgaria every summer. Therefore, Dubai Chronicle's team have chosen to explore Bulgaria during ...  

The two pilots of the MiG-29 fighter jet that crashed in Bulgaria last week will not be sanctioned, the country's Defense Minister Anyu Angelov declared on Thursday. On Wednesday, Angelov told local media that a pilot's mistake has caused the crash of the Bulgarian Air Force MiG 29, which went down on April 26, 2012, during the Thracian Star 2012 joint military drills with the US. On Thursday, however, the Defense Minister reiterated that...  

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who is on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan, has said that the main route for exporting Azeri gas to Bulgaria must cross Turkey. Speaking after a Friday meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Artur Rasizade, Borisov insisted that there was no other option but the Bulgaria-Turkey gas grid interconnection to achieve a diversification of gas supplies. The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed the...  

The citizens and visitors of the capital Sofia had the opportunity to test their lungs for the presence of carbon monoxide, while tobacco-addicted Bulgarians protested against the ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces, due to be enforced as of June 1.  

SOFIA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's fifth "Chinese Bridge" -- the Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, were held here on Thursday. Liu Yonghong, cultural counselor at the Chinese embassy in Sofia, told the opening ...  

A consortium of Polish firms has declared interest in renting the largest Bulgarian producer of non-ferrous metals, the Lead and Zinc Complex (LZC; OTZK) in the southern city of Kardzhali. This was announced Friday by Valentin Nikiforov, Vice President of the Confederation of Independent Bulgarian Syndicates, a major trade union active in the recent crisis with the troubled LZC. Nikiforov said the Polish consortium, whose participants were...  

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill is to arrive on a three-day visit to Bulgaria on Friday. The Patriarch's visit is on the invitation of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and his Bulgarian counterpart, Maxim. On Saturday, Kirill will the country's President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Parliamentary Speaker Tsetska Tsacheva. ...  

AFPBulgaria bans smoking in indoor public spacesReutersSOFIA May 17 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's parliament voted on Thursday to ban smoking in all indoor public spaces from June 1 in an attempt to persuade one of Europe's heaviest smoking nations to kick the habit. The European Union's poorest member state has ...Bulgaria extends smoking ban to cafes, stadiumsAFPBulgaria imposes full smoking ban in public placesNECNall 34 news articles »  

The natural gas interconnection pipeline between Bulgaria and Turkey, which is to allow the former to receive gas supplies from Azerbaijan, will be completed by 2014. This has been promised by Bulgarian Economy, Energy, and Tourism Minister Delyan Dobrev, who spoke on BNR Saturday, after returning Friday from a state visit in Azerbaijan together with Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov. "We took an important step forward with the signing of a...  

An Afghan soldier opened fire Monday upon Bulgarian NATO soldiers serving in Afghanistan, upon which he was killed by them. The lone attacker shot on Bulgarian servicemen from a watchtower of in Kandahar, while they were moving from the Hero to the Lindsey base, accorging to an Afghan Army spokesperson. The Bulgarians returned the fire, killing the attacker, with no one of them being hurt. ...  

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov cut the ribbon Monday on the renovated premises of the Carlsberg Bulgarian National Tennis Center in Sofia. The tennis facilities are maintained by the Bulgarian Tennis Federation. The renovation project had a price tag of BGN 1 M and was implemented under a project with the cooperation of the Ministry of Physical Education and Sports. ...  

One of every five Bulgarians or a total of 1.35 million people (nearly 20%) have a college degree, according to the February 2011 Population Census results. The data was published Thursday by the country's National Statistics Institute, NSI. ...  

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has proposed to his UK counterpart William Hague joint projects for cooperation in the Balkans, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry announced. "We should work together so that, at the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago, we send a positive signal to the Balkans. We shall pay particular attention to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should be given an Action Plan for NATO membership," Mladenov stated during talks...  

In 2011, a total of 9517 people declared a change of their current address in Bulgaria with an address abroad, according to data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI). 53.1% of the emigrants were female and 46....  

Greek authorities have handed down Friday an emaciated Bulgarian citizen at the Ilinden - Exochi checkpoint. The 55-year-old Kosta Spirov from the town of Kotel has been then admitted to Blagoevgrad hospital, being in a state of physical exhaustion and weighing little more than 50 kg. Spirov's case resembles that of Kadir Mehmed, who was similarly handed down by Greek border police to Bulgarians at Ilinden, back in August 2011. ...  

Bulgaria is the most suffering country in the whole world, according to Gallup's 2011 global ranking of thriving and suffering. A total of 45% of all Bulgarians are suffering, which is the highest percentage among 146 countries surveyed. The Balkan nation is followed by Yemen, in which 38% of all respondents are suffering....  

Bulgaria’s ex Tsar and ex Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg has published an article claiming that his primary motivation for “accepting” to head the Bulgarian government in 2001 was to make the country an EU member. The article in question appeared on Saxe-Coburg’s website on Tuesday, April 24, apparently intended to note the anniversary since the signing of Bulgaria’s EU accession treaty seven years ago, on April 25, 2005. Ironically, in...