Latest News from Bulgaria
Six-Point Referendum on Political System to be Held in Bulgaria in Summer
A referendum featuring six questions on the political system will be held in Bulgaria in the summer.
This became clear after the parliament adopted amendments to the Electoral Code on Thursday, which revoked a previous provision that had stipulated that if a referendum and elections are scheduled to take place within the same year, these should be held simultaneously.
Voting is now mandatory in Bulgaria
Bulgaria on Thursday introduced mandatory voting for its citizens, France's AFP agency is reporting.
According to this, the motive behind the decision is the Bulgarian government's hope to boost low election turnout "and battle rampant vote-buying in one of the European Union's most corrupt countries."
Bulgaria PM: All Judicial Systems Should Be Subject to Monitoring
The monitoring on Bulgaria's judicial system introduced by the European Commission should also be applied elsewhere, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has told an audience of European justice ministers.
At a conference bringing together Council of Europe ministers with magistrates, Borisov has noted Bulgaria's monitoring should be a "model" for all EU member states as well.
Bulgaria's Sofia Hosts CoE Justice Ministers Conference
A high-level conference of Justice Ministers of Council of Europe (CoE) member states is due in the Bulgarian capital Sofia on Thursday and Friday.
It has been organized by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria in cooperation with the Council of Europe and is taking place at the invitation of Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, the CoE says.
Bulgaria Unveils Lost Roman City in Sofia
The restored Ancient Roman complex of Serdica, located in the centre of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, was officially opened on Wednesday.
First visitors to the historic site were Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the Ministers of Culture and Regional Development, Vezhdi Rashidov and Lilyana Pavlova, as well as other members of the cabinet and state officials.
Bulgaria Granted Protection to 5 320 Syrians in 2015
The vast share of asylum seekers granted protection last year in Bulgaria were Syrians, a Eurostat report shows.
In 2015, Bulgaria granted status to 5 320 people from Syria, who make up 95% of all affirmative status decisions in the country.
Nationals of Iraq come second (160 decisions) and stateless people (95).