Bulgaria

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov boasted about Bulgaria's contribution to the EU's security, portraying the country as one of the worst hit by increasing migratory pressure at a meeting with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.

A wildfire has been raging for the second day in the Sakar mountain in southeastern Bulgaria.

The wildfire has spread near the village of Dripchevo and the villages surrounding the town of Harmanli, Darik radio informs.

The Commission decided to grant aid worth €16.2 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to Greece and Bulgaria following natural disasters that occurred in the winter of 2015. Greece suffered from wide-spread flooding affecting five of its regions, while considerable damage was caused in Bulgaria due to severe winter conditions.

The Bulgarian government has proposed for the minimum wage in the country to become between 35 % and 55 % of the average remuneration.

The cabinet has made the proposal to the employers' organisations and trade unions, daily Dnevnik informs.

This becomes clear from a statement of objection submitted by the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA).

Vasil Velev, Chair of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA), has rejected allegations of an upward trend in corporate bankruptcies, stressing that H1, 2015 data testifies to the opposite.

Bulgaria's Registry Agency announced on July 16 that the number of bankruptcies had gone up by 34% on the year in H1, 2015 to a total of 341 companies.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has urged MPs to back the set of proposed amendments to the Constitution on Friday so that the implementation of the judicial reform is not delayed further.

Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, will meet with President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Sofia on Thursday.

Greek FM Nikos Kotzias briefed political party representatives on Wednesday of recent visits of southeast European capitals, declaring afterwards that crisis-plagued Greece is “returning to the Balkans”.

The venue was a meeting of a national council on foreign policy, with Kotzias briefing participants on his talks and contacts in visits to no less than seven regional countries.

Eight projects of six EU Member States will be the first to receive funding under the so-called Juncker Plan.

Bulgaria's Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova and Slovakia's Economy Minister Vazil Hudak confirmed the political support of the two countries for the Eastring gas pipeline project and discussed the next steps towards its implementation.