Georgi Gotev
The Brief, powered by ENTSO – Macedonia dreamin’
On 11 November, North Macedonia is likely to face a Bulgarian veto, preventing it from opening long-awaited membership negotiations with the EU.
How Bulgaria gave Gazprom the keys to the Balkans
It was a well-kept secret that Gazprom, Russia's oil and gas juggernaut, has laid its hands on key gas connections along the borders of Bulgaria until a journalistic investigation by EURACTIV Bulgaria exposed this.
EU to fund transfer of COVID-19 patients across borders to prevent hospitals collapse
The European Union will finance the transfer of patients across borders within the bloc to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations spike in the continent.
Ukraine launches ‘Crimean Platform’, Russia also invited
In an exclusive interview, Emine Dzhaparova, Ukraine's first deputy minister of foreign affairs, told EURACTIV about her country’s new initiative to keep the international community attention's focused on the occupation of Crimea by Russia.
Commission makes it clear: Same minimum wage for all EU countries is impossible
Commissioner Nicolas Schmit said on Wednesday (28 October) that if Bulgaria, the country with the lowest wages in the EU, were to introduce the same wages as his native Luxembourg, the very next day there would be “no Bulgarian economy”.
Ahead of COVID summit, Council chief calls for coordination to avoid a ‘tragedy’
European Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday (27 October) urged member states to adopt the quicker antigen coronavirus testing method, common rules on virus management and to avoid vaccine "chaos".
The Brief, powered by ENTSO-E – There is a deeper wave than this
By Thursday, when EU leaders will hold their online summit to discuss the coronavirus situation, we could take a guess at how many of them will already be COVID-positive. The second wave, which was predicted but not averted, is sweeping through European societies and taking its toll.
EPP chief Tusk: ‘Borissov confessed to me, he made obvious mistakes’
The leader of the European People’s Party, Donald Tusk, said the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had “confessed" to him about a scandal with leaked photos allegedly revealing his hidden wealth. Tusk revealed no details but said that what he had heard sounded like “a crime movie”.
Coronavirus second wave prompts virtual EU summit
European Union leaders will hold a video-conference next week to discuss how to better cooperate against the COVID-19 pandemic as infections rise, European Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday (21 October).
Kazakhstan to hold parliamentary elections in January
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a decree scheduling the parliamentary elections for the Majilis for 10 January 2021. The elections are seen as another step in the process of “controlled democratisation” of the former Soviet republic.
The Brief, powered by ECPC – Is Biden or Trump better for the EU?
The answer seems obvious. The election of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the US would be great news for the European Union, as it would hopefully herald a return to the “normal” in transatlantic relations, after a terrible...
Jean-Claude Van Damme saves life of puppy in fake pet passport row
Action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme has come to the rescue of a three-month-old chihuahua, saving her from euthanasia on Monday (19 October) after a legal tussle between Norway and Bulgaria.
Bulgaria calls for EU help to phase out coal
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a "plan" to support the country coal phase-out, saying Bulgaria's own capacity was insufficient to achieve the bloc's 2030 climate goals.
Von der Leyen leaves EU summit to self-isolate
EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday (15 October) left a summit attended by the bloc's 27 leaders after learning that a staff member had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Brief, powered by logos – The watchdogs of democracy
European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová has called journalists “the watchdogs of democracy”. She was speaking at a conference dedicated to the media situation in Bulgaria – the most problematic country in terms of media freedom in the EU.
Russia brokers Karabakh ceasefire, EU voices ‘extreme concern’ over breaches
The EU diplomatic chief on Sunday (11 October) expressed his deep concern over reports of violations of a Russia-brokered ceasefire between warring neighbours Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
EPP sticks with Borissov in stormy debate over rule-of-law in Bulgaria
The European Peoples’ Party (EPP), the EU's centre-right political faction, maintained its support to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Monday (5 October) after a stormy debate marked by online broadcast failures.
The Brief, powered by CEN-CENELEC – Sleepwalking into a Caucasus war?
War is disastrous. Even for the big nations. The US feels nothing but terrible regret for having embarked onto the Vietnam War, the former Soviet Union for its Afghanistan disaster. On European territory, we suffered the Yugoslav wars in the...
Von der Leyen in self-isolation for 24 hours
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in self-isolation, after she was informed having been in contact with a person who tested COVID-19 positive.
Macron demands Turkey explain ‘jihadists’ in Azerbaijan
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday (2 October) demanded that Turkey explain what he said was the arrival of jihadist fighters in Azerbaijan -- and urged NATO to face up to its ally's actions.
Jourová: Bulgarian government should take the protests very seriously
The European Commission Vice president for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, voiced clear support for the ongoing anti-corruption protests in Bulgaria on Wednesday (30 September), saying that the government of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov should take them “very seriously”.
UN Security Council calls for Karabakh clashes to end ‘immediately’
The UN Security Council on Tuesday (29 September) called on Armenian and Azerbaijani forces to "immediately stop fighting" over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, after three days of deadly clashes, according to a statement seen by AFP.
EU warns against outside interference in the Caucasus
The European Union warned regional powers on Monday (28 September) to stay away from renewed fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh and condemned what it said was a "serious escalation" that may have "serious consequences for regional stability".