Portugal

By John Geddie

German borrowing costs out to seven years fell below zero for the first time and Italian yields dipped ahead of an auction on Thursday in further signs of frantic investor demand for euro zone government debt.

The European Commission has decided to start the macroeconomic imbalance procedure (MIP) for Romania (and Portugal), two of the 16 countries identified in November 2014 as recording economic imbalances, the EC announced on Wednesday in a press release.

Photo credit: (c) ZHOU LEI / XINHUA

Economic expert Guntram Wolff detailed the prospects and risks facing Greece in the long run, speaking to DW this week.

Asked if Greece is a special case and different from Spain, Portugal and Ireland, the Brussels-based analyst says:

According to the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker Greece can not raise the minimum wage, as it is extremely difficult for Spain, Ireland and Portugal to grant such privileges since they don't apply to themselves.

Eshe Nelson & David Goodman

Greece?s government bonds may open higher this week after euro-area finance ministers agreed to extend the nation?s bailout funds for four months, avoiding a cash crunch that threatened to push it out of the currency bloc.

Bulgaria ranks 23rd by EU funds absorption in the 28-nation bloc, according to statistics published by the European Commission's Directorate General for Regional Policy on the 2007-2013 programming period.

By Joao Lima

Greece?s new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won?t get much sympathy from Portugal for his debt-relief call.

By Mark Whitehouse

A meeting of eurozone financial ministers is scheduled for Friday, in order for a solution to be reached for the crisis in Greece.

Informal division has been observed, as Germany largely relies on the support of Finland and Netherlands, and perhaps Portugal and Spain that have already taken the bailout road, but never had the chance to renegotiate.

Minister of Youth and Sports Krasen Kralev assured that Bulgaria is prepared to meet the challenges of hosting the 2015 men's European Volleyball Championship.

Kralev attended the drawing of lots for the final round of the tournament, which took place at the Ivan Vazov National Theatre in Sofia on Monday.