About: Bulgaria
Bulgaria kicks out 70 Russian ‘diplomats’ for espionage
Bulgaria has declared ‘personae non grata’ the record number of 70 Russian diplomats for activity incompatible with their diplomatic status, outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov announced late on Tuesday (28 June).
Russian embassy in Sofia launches appeal for war donations
A blogpost of the Russian embassy in Sofia, inviting citizens to make donations for “the military participating in the special operation to protect the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics” is making waves in Bulgaria. EURACTIV Bulgaria took a closer look at the appeal.
Western Balkans fume over enlargement deadlock
On the sidelines of the triumphant rhetoric over Ukraine and Moldova's imminent granting of EU candidate status, EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday (23 June) faced furious Western Balkan counterparts, highly frustrated about the lack of their own progress on the EU path.
EU closes ranks on Ukraine, Moldova candidate status as decision looms
EU leaders in Brussels are expected to sign off on last week’s recommendation by the European Commission to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status, according to the latest EU summit draft conclusions, dated 21 June and seen by EURACTIV....
Zelenskyy says Russia eyes a ‘vast area from Warsaw to Sofia’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the European Union on Wednesday (15 June) to let his country start on the road to membership of the bloc, warning that Russia's territorial ambitions stretched from Warsaw to Sofia.
Italy minister says nationalisation an option for Lukoil refinery
Italy's ecological transition minister on 11 June said nationalisation was among the options for Lukoil's Italian refinery based in the island of Sicily.
Bulgaria is rich with shale gas, but lacks political will to exploit it
Bulgaria has an estimated 500 billion cubic meters (bcm) of shale gas but the current legislation prevents its exploitation and the current government has no plans to change the status quo, despite Russia having stopped the supplies. The country needs three bcm per year.
Phantom plane played with the nerves of six NATO countries
A small aeroplane toyed with the nerves of the air defences of six NATO members before landing on Thursday (9 June) in a small airfield in Bulgaria, whereby the pilot and passengers promptly disappeared.
Lavrov cancels Serbia trip after neighbours close airspace
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia on Monday (6 June) after several of its neighbours prevented his plane from passing through their airspace, officials said.
Bulgaria’s eurozone accession debate split along Macedonian veto lines
Bulgaria's four-party ruling coalition is not united on the issue of the country's accession to the eurozone in early 2024, splitting along the same lines as with the unrelated issue of vetoing the start of neighbouring North Macedonia's EU accession talks.
Sofia’s veto on Skopje is ‘a present for Russia’, Borrell says
The EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell put pressure on Sofia on Monday (16 May) to lift its veto over North Macedonia starting EU accession negotiations, by saying that the lack of solution is “a present for Russia”.
Bulgarian officials ordered to provide ID for lesbian couple’s baby
A Bulgarian court on Monday (16 May) ordered city hall authorities in the capital Sofia to issue a birth certificate to the stateless baby of a same-sex couple from Bulgaria and Gibraltar.
Russia puts sanctions on Gazprom subsidiaries in Europe
Moscow has imposed sanctions on 31 companies, including the owner of the Polish part of the Yamal pipeline, as well as the former German unit of the Russian gas producer Gazprom, whose subsidiaries service Europe's gas consumption.
Nearly 25 million tonnes of grain stuck in Ukraine, says UN food agency
Nearly 25 million tonnes of grains are stuck in Ukraine and unable to leave the country due to infrastructure challenges and blocked Black Sea ports including Mariupol, a UN food agency official said on Friday (6 May).
Bulgarian professor achieves dream of creating world-class tech powerhouse
In April, Bulgaria became home to INSAIT, a new Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology that aims to develop a world-class research centre, keep talent in Bulgaria, and attract outstanding international scientists by offering globally competitive research facilities and compensation.
Bulgaria and Greece plan joint gas deliveries for southeast Europe
Bulgaria and Greece agreed to seek joint gas deliveries for southeastern Europe and decrease its reliance on Russian gas amid the war in Ukraine, Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov said on Thursday (5 May).
Greece replaces Bulgaria as the EU press freedom black sheep
After many years of having Bulgaria as the worst-ranked EU country in terms of press freedom, the World Press Freedom index for 2022 painted a different picture on Tuesday (3 May): Bulgaria has improved while the worsening media situation in Greece sent that country to the bottom.
EU energy ministers hold crisis talks after Russian gas cuts
Energy ministers from European Union countries hold emergency talks on Monday (2 May), as the bloc strives for a united response to Moscow's demand that European buyers pay for Russian gas in rubles or face their supply being cut off.
Bulgaria becomes regional hub for gas supplies
A regional coordination centre will be set up in Bulgaria to manage the overall use of gas and electricity infrastructure and additional gas purchases for the Balkans and Italy, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Asen Vassilev in Brussels.
Bulgaria urges ‘stronger’ Europe to cut off Russian gas
Bulgaria's Prime Minister Kiril Petkov urged Europe on Thursday (28 April) to be "stronger" and find alternatives to Russian gas, during a visit to Ukraine.
Putin drives wedge between prime minister and president in Bulgaria
The Kremlin’s decision to cut off gas to Bulgaria has wholly exposed the positions of the leading political players in Sofia and caused a complete rupture in relations between Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and President Rumen Radev. Radev sharply attacked the government...
Bulgaria slams Russia for ‘gas blackmail’, will not halt Serbia deliveries
Russian energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday (27 April) citing their failure to pay for gas in roubles, in the Kremlin's toughest response yet to the crippling sanctions imposed by the West for its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia cuts gas to Poland, threatens disconnecting Bulgaria
Russia halted gas supplies to Poland under the Yamal contract on Wednesday (26 April), in a deepening of the rift between the West and Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.