About: Bulgaria
EU concerned at migrant wave triggered by Turkey’s planned Syria invasion
Germany warned on Tuesday (8 October) of a repeat of the chaotic influx of migrants that caught the European Union unprepared in 2015, while Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus sounded the alarm over a resurgence of arrivals from neighbouring Turkey.
Le Pen’s Bulgarian ally under the spotlight for cross-border medicine trafficking
Vesselin Mareshki gained international prominence when French far-right leader Marine le Pen chose him as her political ally in Bulgaria. But things started to go wrong when Mareshki lost the European elections in May. Now, judges have recognised him as the mastermind of a cross-border network of medicine traffickers.
Kovesi will succeed only if media freedom is kept alive
Laura Codruta Kovesi, Romania's former chief anti-corruption prosecutor, is expected to be approved as the new head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Iveta Cherneva argues that the lack of media freedom in countries like Bulgaria will make it exceptionally difficult for Kovesi to uncover crimes involving EU funding.
Georgieva to be the first IMF chief from an emerging economy
Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva is expected to be confirmed on Wednesday (25 September) as managing director of the International Monetary Fund, which would make her the first person from an emerging economy to head the global lender.
Prague to remove statue of Soviet World War II marshal
A district assembly in Prague voted on Thursday (12 September) to remove a statue of a Soviet World War Two marshal and replace it with a more general memorial following a row that has drawn in the Czech president and Russian authorities.
Russia says second leg of Turkish Stream will go via Bulgaria, not Greece
The second leg of the Turkish Stream pipeline will go through Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday (26 July).
EU anti-fraud network EUROFISC hacked in Bulgaria
Hackers in Bulgaria have got access to huge amounts of information, including files from the EU’s anti-fraud network EUROFISC. The Commission confirmed to EURACTIV on Thursday (25 July) that it was monitoring the embarrassing situation.
Andriukaitis raps Bulgaria for failing to act against swine fever
The inadequate reaction of Bulgaria's authorities to a huge outbreak of swine fever puts at risk the entire pig population of the country, the EU Commissioner for health, food and safety has told the Bulgarian National Radio ‘Horizont’ programme.
Two charged with ‘terrorism’ over Bulgaria’s biggest data breach
Prosecutors have charged two workers at a cybersecurity company with terrorism as part of an investigation into Bulgaria's biggest-ever data breach, a lawyer for the defendants said on Wednesday (24 July).
In systemic breach, hackers steal millions of Bulgarians’ financial data
Bulgaria’s finance minister apologized to the country on Tuesday (16 July) after admitting hackers had stolen millions of taxpayers’ financial data in an attack that one researcher said may have compromised nearly every adult’s personal records.
Bulgarian EPP deputy: Don’t take vote for Ursula von der Leyen for granted
Part of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) has serious doubts about Ursula von der Leyen’s nomination for President of the European Commission and may not support her, Bulgarian MEP Radan Kanev told news website EUelectionsBulgaria.com.
Bulgaria slashes state subsidy, allows unlimited donations for political parties
Bulgaria's parliament removed all limits for individual and corporate donations for political parties Thursday (4 July), a move which many fear could worsen the country's already endemic corruption.
North Macedonia’s Sekerinska: Postponing decisions is not the best policy
North Macedonia has done its part in removing the obstacles on its road to EU accession, but the EU has been slow to follow suit, North Macedonia’s Defence Minister Radmila Šekerinska told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview. Radmila Šekerinska is...
Borissov warns North Macedonia against stealing Bulgarian history
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov warned EU hopeful North Macedonia on Thursday (20 June) against what he said was “anti-Bulgarian rhetoric” and appropriation of Bulgaria's history as its own, saying it "must stop".
US calls ‘false’ the narrative that LNG cannot compete with pipeline gas
US prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being shipped to Europe will remain competitive with Russian piped gas prices over the long term, US energy secretary Rick Perry said on Wednesday (5 June).
The candidates’ cards on the table for hosting the EU Labour Authority
The European Commission published last week its assessment of what the four candidates offered for hosting the newly formed European Labour Agency. Now the ball is in the member states’ court and their decision will be known on 13 June. EURACTIV looked into the offers.
Bulgaria’s Borissov wins despite scandals
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s GERB party (EPP-affiliated) won the European elections on Sunday (26 May), despite a number of scandals in which it was involved in recent months.
#EU2019 – Bulgaria’s Borissov says won’t resign if he loses EU elections
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who has governed the country with small interruptions for ten years, said on Wednesday (8 May) he will not resign following the European elections. According to opinion polls, Borissov’s GERB party (EPP-affiliated) may lose to his arch-rivals, the socialists.
Pope Francis asks Bulgarians to ‘open hearts’ to migrants
Pope Francis urged Bulgarians to open their hearts and doors to refugees as he began a visit to the European Union's poorest country, where the main Orthodox Church snubbed holding joint prayers with the pontiff.
The Juncker Commission won’t lift the monitoring on Bulgaria
Vĕra Jourová, the EU Commissioner for justice, said on Friday (26 April) that the Juncker Commission will not lift the monitoring on Bulgaria under the so-called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM).
Macron pleads for Schengen renegotiation, possibly with fewer members
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday (25 April) that he was in favour of renegotiating the internal-border-free Schengen area, even if the result would be a “Schengen space with less countries”.
One month to EU elections: An ‘educated guess’ who the next MEPs could be
In many countries, it is already possible to guess, with a good degree of certainty, who the next MEPs could be. All political forces have published their lists, and opinion polls give a snapshot into the balance of power in each country. What is more challenging, is to imagine future coalitions.
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...