Bulgaria

Experts from Bulgaria's Investment Planning Ministry have proposed setting up a social housing fund.

The fund is to cater to the needs of families and persons with low incomes and specific needs, elderly living alone and disadvantaged citizens, according to the Ministry's press office, as cited by econ.bg.

Bulgaria's national team coach Lyuboslav Penev received a warm welcome by the officials of Valencia Football Club, where he played for 6 years (1989-1995).

Doubling of investments in Bulgaria's commercial real estate is expected in 2014, according to the advisory company Forton.

In 2013, Bulgaria saw acquisitions worth EUR 54M which is 26% more than in 2012. Due to the low levels in 2012-2013, Forton experts predict that in 2014 the volume could be doubled and reach between EUR 100-130M, Bulgarian Standart news reports.

Young adults who do internships in Bulgaria will receive a salary and a labour contract. 

The property of Bulgaria's Burgas Shipyards AD is being put up for sale.

The procedure was launched upon the request of the creditors and a writ of execution issued by the Burgas Regional Court, according to reports of the BGNES news agency.

The announcements have already been published in the public sales register.

Bulgarian Council of Ministers is to prepare a list of "non-prestigious" occupations needed by businesses.

The measure was announced after MPs approved at a first reading changes to the Law for Professional Education and Training jointly proposed by the ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party and the biggest parliamentary opposition GERB, website Dnevnik.bg has reported.

Bulgaria's Sofia Appellate Court placed Oktay Enimehmedov, the attacker of the honorary, lifetime Chairman of DPS Ahmed Dogan, under house arrest, Thursday.

On February 26, Enimehmedov was sentenced to a 3.6 years imprisonment by Sofia City Court. He was found guilty of death threat and acquitted of attempted murder.

Bulgaria has formally fulfilled the last requirement for the removal of US visas for Bulgarian citizens.

The draft intergovernmental agreement between Bulgaria and US on exchanging information on targeted terrorism surveillance, approved by Bulgaria's government on Wednesday, creates a legal framework for bilateral exchange of information with a view to preventing terrorism.

Bulgaria anticipates a big wine grape yield of high quality in 2014, according to Ivan Pachev, Director of the Pleven-based National Institute of Viticulture and Oenology.

Pachev, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, informed that it had been a good winter for vines, with no frost damage.

A record number of 43,000 spectators are expected during Thursday's Europa League match between Bulgaria's Ludogorets Razgrad and Spain's Valencia.

The first leg of the 1/8 finals of the tournament will be played in Sofia's Vasil Levski National Stadium, from 8 PM local time.