Sweden

The euro turned 20 years old on January 1, 2019. On January 1, 1999, after years of preparations, 11 member-states of the European Union agreed to use the same currency in all monetary transactions among themselves, an initiative that marked the official launch of the euro. The euro's introduction in physical form, as coins and banknotes, however, took place on January 1, 2002.

The Greek passport ranks in seventh place among the most powerful in the world, according to global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, which compiles an annual index.

Greeks can go to 184 destinations without aplying for a visa, along with Belgians and Canadians.

The Bulgarian government has asked parliament for a mandate to negotiate with the United States on buying new fighter jets, Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said on Wednesday after ministers met in Sofia. 

It means that Bulgaria plans to move ahead with the purchase of Lockheed Martin's F-16 Block 70 Viper jets to replace its aging fleet of Soviet-era Mig-29 planes.

The Bulgarian government has approved a plan to start talks with the United States on buying eight new F-16 fighter jets to replace its ageing Soviet-made MiG-29s and improve compliance with NATO standards, the defence minister said on Wednesday.

Today, the Cabinet is expected to review the commission's report assessing the bids for the new fighter aircraft, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

According to the report, most of the votes are for the US new F-16s. Thus, they displace the offers of Sweden and Italy for Gripen and Eurofighter aircraft.

Czech investment group PPF said on Monday it had given up on buying Bulgaria's Nova Broadcasting Group from Sweden's MTG, citing rejection by the country's anti-monopoly watchdog, reports Reuters. 

Between 2008 and 2016, police officers in Bulgaria decreased by 25%. This shows data from the European statistical agency Eurostat. In 2008, they were 450 per 100 thousand, while in 2016 335 per 100 thousand, reports Dnevnik. 

Are you ready for five more incredible eclipses in 2019? Yesterday's partial solar eclipse peaked in northeast Russia when 60% of the Sun was blocked by the Moon, but there are five more eclipses coming up this year that deserve your attention, according to FORBES. 

Slovenia (31) is the top-ranked former Yugoslav state, followed by Croatia (52), with Macedonia (68), Montenegro (72) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (98) ranked behind Serbia.

As for other countries in the region, Albania is in the 74th place, while Hungary ranks 40th, followed by Romania (41), Greece (42) and Bulgaria (46).

Around eight in 10 Greeks (79 percent) believe their voice is not being heard in the European Union, according to a Eurobarometer survey published on Friday.