About: Bulgaria
Flagship study exposes decline of press freedom in Europe
Reporters Without Borders published their flagship annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ on Thursday (18 April), revealing that worldwide, authoritarian regimes continue to tighten their grip on the media, while in Europe, decline of press freedom goes hand in hand with...
A manifesto for post-populism in Bulgaria and Europe
Bulgarians will be able to cast their vote for a new pro-European and pro-reform force in the European elections: ‘Way to the young’, led by London-based lawyer Rumen Cholakov, who contributed this op-ed exclusively to EURACTIV.
Brexit chaos stirs fears for Bulgaria seasonal farm workers
The 960 inhabitants of the Bulgarian village of Brashten, nestled in the hills and forests on the Greek border, don't normally pay much heed to international politics.
Stanishev loses leadership of European elections list to former partner
Sergei Stanishev may be the leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES), but his authority in his home country Bulgaria is under pressure.
Judiciary shouldn’t be subject to EU regulation, Bulgarian nationalist MEP says
The future of Europe is a return to patriotism, Bulgarian MEP Angel Dzhambazki told a conference on the 'Future of Europe' in Sofia. Dzhambazki is expected to be the lead candidate of the Bulgarian nationalist VMRO party in the European elections in May. EURACTIV’s partner Dnevnik reports.
Commission eager to see the capacity of Southern gas corridor doubled
A recent meeting of government officials and big energy companies in Azerbaijan signalled ambitions about doubling the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), and of more European countries becoming clients.
Why do foreign investors leave Bulgaria as if it were the Titanic?
Despite being one of the most beautiful countries in the European Union, despite having talented and educated people, despite a favourable tax environment, Bulgaria is likely to stay as the poorest in the EU, and to continue losing its population, writes Blaga Thavard.
Bulgarian businessman hopes to team up with Le Pen after EU elections
Veselin Mareshki, a Bulgarian businessman and leader of the party ‘Volya’ (‘Will’), will lead the list of candidates for the European elections in May, for a new far-right coalition that hopes to join forces with France’s Marine Le Pen.
EU sees crime risks from Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria ‘golden passport’ schemes
The European Commission will warn that schemes in EU states to sell citizenship or residence to wealthy individuals could help foreign organised crime groups infiltrate the bloc and increase the risk of money laundering, corruption and tax evasion.
Parliament seeks financial punishment for countries breaching rule of law
European Union countries that undermine the bloc's democratic principles could lose EU funds, under a draft law backed by the European Parliament on Thursday (17 January).
Bulgarian truck drivers to protest in Brussels against mobility package
Bulgaria's transport minister has claimed that Central and Western European countries want to push out Bulgarian transport businesses, demanding changes to a new package of EU rules that his government says will hurt the country's economy. EURACTIV’s partner Dnevnik reports.
Purchase of new fighter jets by Bulgaria pits President against Prime Minister
Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev slammed on Sunday (6 January) the government of Boyko Borissov for having “perverted” the procedure for the acquisition of new fighter jets.
2019 LOOKAHEAD: New brand of social upheaval takes shape ahead of EU elections
The yellow vests in France and Belgium may be only the tip of the iceberg of a major social upheaval ahead of the European elections, with a common denominator: people protesting their worsening living standards do not want to be represented by the existing political forces.
Factcheck: Did EU gas liberalisation rules put Bulgaria’s national security at risk?
Bulgarian minister Temenuzhka Petkova has said her country preferred paying a multi-million euro fine rather than follow a Commission injunction. Such a reform, in her words, would have threatened the country's national security. EURACTIV checked the facts.
Nine EU members stay away from UN migration pact
Three EU members voted against, five abstained and one didn’t vote during the formal ratification on Wednesday (19 December) in New York of the Global Compact on Migration.
Vestager: We would have preferred to close the Bulgaria gas case without a fine
The Commission imposed on Monday (17 December) a multi-million fine on Bulgaria’s BEH for blocking access to key natural gas infrastructure in the country. Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said the fine could have been avoided, had Sofia decided to follow another negotiation strategy.
Bulgarian PM: Pilots tell me F-16 is best
Bulgaria needs a plane capable not only of patrolling, but conducting combat operations and winning, and that means buying F-16s, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov told journalists on Friday (14 December), adding that he didn’t want to influence an ongoing tender in the country.
Borissov takes pride in crushing Bulgaria’s passport-for-bribes scam
The passports-for-bribes scam may look like an embarrassment for Bulgaria, but Prime Minister Boyko Borissov turned it around on Thursday (13 December), saying he had received compliments for the way Bulgarian law enforcement had put an end to the practice.
Commission to fine Bulgaria over gas market distortions
The European Commission will fine Bulgarian Energy Holding as early as this month for hindering rivals’ access to key gas infrastructure, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday (11 December), based on information from three sources familiar with the dossier.
EU counter-terrorism chief: Europe ‘may see something like Daesh 2.0’
The level of terrorist threat remains "pretty serious" in several EU countries, Gilles de Kerchove, the EU's counter-terrorism coordinator, told EURACTIV.com in an interview hours before the latest attack in Strasbourg on Tuesday night (12 December).
Marrakesh UN forum adopts migration pact despite withdrawals
A United Nations conference adopted a migration pact in front of leaders and representatives from over 160 countries in Morocco on Monday (10 December), despite a string of withdrawals, including several EU countries, driven by anti-immigrant populism.
Bulgarian deputy PM raises obstacles for Macedonia’s EU, NATO accession
Bulgarian deputy Prime Minister Krassimir Karakachanov stated on Saturday (8 December) that he would not let Macedonia join the EU and NATO, reacting to recent statements by the Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev about the Macedonian language that have also infuriated Athens.
COP24 diary – day #4
Over this special series on COP24, EURACTIV gives you a glimpse into the goings on of the UN climate conference in Katowice and what is driving the conversation there. In this edition: An update on the negotiations, Bulgaria, Canada, open letters, the shipping and car industry, and more.