Latest News from Bulgaria

Bulgarian PM Borisov: I Offered That All EU Borders Be Closed

"The closing down of the Balkan route does not merely mean the closing down of the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The external borders of the EU must be dear to everyone as much as their own national frontiers.

Bulgarian Municipalities With Bad Demographic Indicators To Integrate Refugees Permanently

Bulgarian municipalities with bad demographic indicators may integrate refugees permanently. However, it is not clear yet which three pilot municipalities will work on the project of integrating the refugees permanently.

Bulgarians Abroad Sent BGN 1 B Back Home in 2016

Bulgarians abroad have sent over BGN 1 B to their relatives in the country since the beginning of 2016, reported bTV, citing BNB data.

The largest amount of nearly BGN 200 M was sent by Bulgarians in the USA, followed by Spain and Greece with BGN 174 M and BGN 68 M, accordingly.

Desecrated Bulgarian Memorial Plaque 'Was Illegal', Skopje Says

Macedonia's Foreign Ministry has declared "illegal" a Bulgarian memorial plaque placed on Kaimakchalan peak, at the Macedonian-Greek border, which a journalist from Skopje claims to have demolished.

In a statement [MK], the institution notes that it expects of Bulgaria to respect internationally recognized procedures used to place memorials on foreign territory.

Macedonia's PM 'Promised to React' on Bulgarian Monument Desecration

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said his Macedonian counterpart Emil Dimitriev assured him there would be a response from authorities to the desecration of a memorial plaque allegedly committed by a Macedonian journalist.

"I don't want to comment," he has told reporters after a summit in Vienna.

Bulgaria PM Urges Commitment to EU-Turkey Migrant Deal, Hotspots Outside Europe

The migrant deal with Turkey is "by far the lesser of two evils", Bulgaria's Prime Minister has said, giving indications he has called on European leaders to give Turkey a visa-free regime.

Borisov has commented on migration issues after a summit bringing 10 European leaders together in Vienna to discuss possible measures in the light of a continuing inflow of migrants.

EU Council Head Calls for Stricter External Border Control

European Council President Donald Tusk has said Europe needs to work out ways to achieve a more effective control on its external borders.

"We have to guarantee in practice and politically that the Western Balkans route for illegal migrants is closed forever," Austrian daily Die Presse quotes Tusk as saying.

Bulgaria Should Prioritize Gas Links with Greece, Romania - EU Official

Bulgaria should work to complete the interconnectors linking its gas transportation networks with Greece and Romania, the EU Commission spokesperson for Specific Energy Union Projects has said.

New Quake Hits Romania's Vrancea

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake has hit the area of Vrancea in Eastern Romania, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre has said.

The new tremor comes after the powerful quake that shook the country's east and was felt in Northeastern Bulgaria, Moldova and parts of Ukraine.

There have been no immediate reports about damage caused by either quake.

Bulgarian Women's Volleyball Team Qualifies for Eurovolley

The national women's volleyball team of Bulgaria will be able to participate in the European volleyball championship next year after beating Switzerland on Friday.

It took the Bulgarians five games to defeat their opponent 3:2 (20:25, 25:17, 23:25, 25:15, 15:12), with local sports websites suggesting they had underestimated the Swiss team.

Bulgaria, US Sign Agreement on DNA Profiles, Fingerprints Exchange

Bulgaria and the United States have signed an agreement that will allow the exchange of dactyloscopic (fingerprints) data and DNA profiles in an effort to boost cooperation in fighting crime, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry has said.

Greek positions on refugee crisis at Vienna mini-summit

Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will be among the Balkan and European Union leaders that gather in the Austrian capital on Saturday for a mini-summit on the issue of migration along the “Balkan corridor.”
Greece has a clear agenda that was presented during the United Nations meetings on migration in New York and would open on a European level on Saturday.