Portugal

The European Commission today called on Bulgaria and 13 other EU countries to reduce air pollution. The others affected are Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden.

While the country has enjoyed some memorable moments in major tournaments, the Bulgarian national football team isn't in great shape right now. The squad failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, making it 24 years since Bulgaria last featured in the biggest competition of all.

Crete is among the top 10 destinations that in 2023 will set the trends in adventure, nature and wellness tourism around the world, according to the Spanish magazine Hosteltur, which cited the findings of a recent survey conducted by Mabrian Technologies, a Spanish travel intelligence services provider.

For the first time in a while, the economic party is happening in the Mediterranean, and Greece is leading the way ahead of Spain and Portugal.

As The Economist looked into the best and worst economic performers of 2022, Greece found itself at the top of the list, with high growth, narrow inflation breadth, plunging debt-to-GDP ratio and an outperforming stock market.

Portugal's highway operator is planning to place a bid for Attiki Odos in the upcoming tender in a joint venture with Greece's Intrakat.

The rising cost of living is the most pressing concern for 93% of Europeans, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey for the European Parliament, published yesterday. Support for the EU remains high, but citizens expect the Union to work on solutions to mitigate the effects of the crises.

Greek Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Christos Stylianidis, and Portugal's Interior Minister, José Luis Carneiro, signed on Thursday a cooperation agreement in the field of civil protection, during the minister's visit to Lisbon.

The deal is for the provision of mutual assistance and cooperation between the two countries. 

Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides will meet with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock on Monday, just days after she warned any weak links in Europe's resolve would only embolden Moscow.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the U.K., European Union and Canada after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, has started making plans to settle in Istanbul, according to local media.

The south-eastern Bulgarian region is among the 23 regions in the EU with the smallest share of young people who have completed secondary education, according to Eurostat data for 2021.

There, less than three-quarters of the 20- to 24-year-old population have a high school diploma.