About: Bulgaria
EU enlargement: Beware the veto epidemic
Dangling its veto, Bulgaria only uses its position of EU member to achieve some of its foreign policy interests, in the same way that many other have done before. The problem is that the EU does not have the desire and the way to discourage such unilateral actions, writes Orhan Dragaš.
Inconclusive video summit hashes over EU budget hurdle, vaccines
EU leaders said Thursday (19 November) they would intensify efforts to convince the Prime Ministers of Poland and Hungary to drop their veto of the EU coronavirus economic recovery plan, which has plunged the bloc into a new crisis.
Bulgaria spells out conditions for unblocking North Macedonia’s EU path
Bulgaria vetoed the decision to open EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia on Tuesday (17 November), a move which indirectly also affects Albania, another Western Balkans candidate which has advanced on its EU path in tandem with Skopje.
Bulgaria says to block EU accession talks with North Macedonia
Bulgaria plans to voice its opposition on Tuesday (17 November) to starting European Union accession talks with neighbouring Republic of North Macedonia as the two countries have yet to settle disputes over history and language, Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said.
Bulgarian authorities test people in vicinity of mink farms for COVID
The Bulgarian health authorities said on Friday they have ordered mass PCR testing of people in the vicinity of the two mink farms in the country, following the recent mink-related health scare in Denmark. Chief State Health Inspector Angel Kunchev announced the news exclusively to EURACTIV Bulgaria.
Bulgaria’s ‘golden passports’ scheme bring little investment
Bulgarian citizenship has been available for sale for eight years now, but the scheme hasn’t brought any significant foreign investment in the country, a journalistic investigation by EURACTIV Bulgaria has found.
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.
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”.
Bulgaria to challenge EU mobility package reforms in court
Bulgaria's government said Wednesday (21 October) it would challenge in court parts of a major EU-wide reform agreed earlier this year aimed at improving road hauliers' work conditions.
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.
Kaliakra: a showcase of environmental illiteracy in Bulgaria
Kaliakra is probably the most beautiful Black Sea cape of Bulgaria. But it has also become an illustration of the hectic way in which the government tries to balance the interests of big business, local communities and environmentalists.
Tired but defiant: 100 days of protests in Bulgaria
In a hundred days of sweeping and at times violent protests, thousands of Bulgarians have tightened the screws on the political elite -- but this, they say, is only the beginning.
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.
Jourova promises action plan to protect independent journalism
The European Commission (EC) will present by the end of the year an action plan to protect independent journalism, Commission Vice President Věra Jourová announced on Monday (12 October) during the conference "Media Freedom in Bulgaria", organised by EURACTIV Bulgaria.
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.
Fraud with agricultural funds in Bulgaria: Will EU prosecutor take notice?
The latest investigative report by EURACTIV Bulgaria journalist Valia Ahchieva has exposed fraud in the use of EU agricultural funds in the country, part of a widespread criminal scheme which she has flagged to the attention of the European Public Prosecutor Laura Kövesi.
Brace for a landmark debate – not only for Bulgaria, but for the EU
On Monday (5 October), the European Parliament will discuss in plenary the Rule of Law in Bulgaria. It may look like an event important mostly for the Bulgarians, but in fact it has a lot of incidence on the EU, writes Radan Kanev
Thousands march calling for Bulgaria government to quit
Thousands of people marched through the Bulgarian capital Sofia on Saturday (3 October) calling for the government to quit, the latest in a series of such protests.
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”.
Corruption puts the future of the European Union at risk
Protests against government corruption have been rocking Bulgaria since August. MEP Daniel Freund, who was in Sofia last week to meet with protesters, shares his impressions.
Bulgaria smells ‘hybrid operations’ under COVID-19 cover
The COVID-19 crisis has been used as a cover for hybrid operations in the EU, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry stated on Thursday (24 September). EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.
Hezbollah links seen in 2012 Israeli bus attack in Bulgaria
A Bulgarian court on Monday (21 September) sentenced two Lebanese men in their absence to life in prison over a deadly 2012 bus bomb attack on Israeli tourists at the country's Burgas airport.
New rules in Bulgaria’s parliament building: Journalists cry foul
Protests in Bulgaria asking for the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev have entered their third month. Against this background the Bulgarian parliament has become a fortress in which journalists are treated as the enemy. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.