Bulgaria

The International Cycling Tour of Bulgaria will kick off on Sunday, August 25, prompting the "Road Infrastructure" agency (RIA) to advise drivers to exercise increased caution on the roads. During the 71st edition of the race, which runs until Thursday, August 29, traffic will be temporarily restricted on various sections of the national road network.

William Burns, the CIA Director, is currently on a two-day visit to Kosovo, making his way through southeastern Europe. On Thursday, Burns was reported to have been in Bulgaria as part of a tour that included stops in Sarajevo, Belgrade, Sofia, Skopje, and Pristina, according to Radio Free Europe.

Next week, "We Continue the Change" (WCC) plans to propose a change to the contentious definition of "non-traditional sexual orientation" in the Preschool and School Education Act, according to a party announcement.

Foreign tourist arrivals in the first eight months of 2024 increased by 8.3 percent from a year ago to 28.98 million, according to data from the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Including Turks residing abroad, 33.47 million holidaymakers visited the country in the January-July period, the ministry said on Aug. 23.

More than 300 settlements across Bulgaria are currently on a water regime, affecting nearly 500,000 people. Recent assessments indicate a significant reduction in water reserves in dams compared to last summer, with some reservoirs now at only 2 percent of their full capacity.

Manol Peykov, a publisher and MP from "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), recently shared a screenshot on Facebook showing a publication from "Revival - Varna." The post by the local organization of the "Revival" right-wing party contained threats and hate speech directed at teachers who signed a petition opposing recent amendments to the law banning "LGBTQ+ propaganda

Friday will see mostly sunny weather, though it will be accompanied by some wind. In the afternoon, cloud cover will increase temporarily, particularly in mountainous and eastern regions, where isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected.

Silvia Petkova, a lawyer, has criticized recent changes to the Preschool and School Education Act concerning non-traditional sexual orientation, describing them as a response to imaginary issues, in an interview with BNR. Petkova highlighted a problem in the lawmaking process where MPs are addressing what she sees as non-existent problems.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Education is currently preparing responses to inquiries from the European Commission regarding the recent amendments to the Preschool and School Education Act, which ban "LGBTQ+ propaganda in school." To develop a comprehensive response, the ministry is seeking additional input and clarification from the National Assembly and other relevant ministries.

Dimitar Glavchev has been tasked with forming a government for the second time, following a failed attempt by Goritsa Grancharova-Kozhareva and the refusal of other potential candidates.