Latest News from Bulgaria

Ousted Leader of Bulgaria's DPS Meets Turkish PM in Ankara

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has received Lyutvi Mestan, who was expelled as head of Bulgaria's third-largest DPS party.

At the government residency in the Cankaya district in Ankara, the two have discussed Bulgarian politics, members of Mestan's future party DOST have said in a press statement.

Sèvres serves Erdo?an

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's visit to the United States was a tense one from the beginning. The question of whether he would meet U.S. President Barack Obama or not was a topic of discussion in Turkey.

Bulgaria, Romania Show Worst Road Safety Records in EU in 2015

Bulgaria and Romania had the weakest road safety records among EU member states last year, according to official statistics of the bloc.

While all the EU member states have improved their road safety records since 2010, there was still a significant gap in their performance, the European Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

Transport Minister Proposes Krasimir Kalaidjiev to Head Road Transport Agency ad Interim

Bulgaria's Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski has proposed to dismiss Tsvetelin Tsvetanov, head of the Road Transport Administration Executive Agency, who was arrested earlier this week over suspected wrongdoing in licensing procedures at the agency.

Tzvetanov's deputy, Krasimir Kalaidjiev, has been proposed to serve as interim execitive director of the government agency.

Six Companies Submit Offers to Use Bulgaria-Greece Gas Link

Bulgaria's government has received six indicative offers to use capacity of the gas interconnector that is to be built between Bulgaria and Greece, Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has said.

Bulgaria Govt Launching Validity Check for Drivers' Licenses

The Bulgarian government has said it is starting checks of driving licenses that could be "subject to manipulation".

Measures related to "fake examination protocols" have been discussed by officials at a Friday meeting to root out practices that call into question the proper issuance of a number of licenses in Bulgaria.

No Terrorists, Foreign Fighters in Bulgaria, IntMin Says

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumyana Bachvarova has fended off suggestions there might be "foreign fighters and terrorists" operating in the country.

Bachvarova has told journalists, in the weekly Q&A session of ministers with Parliament, that security services are working on any alerts that might be received on EU partner agencies.

Bulgaria PM 'Bans' Talk about Presidential Elections until Summer

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Thursday said he had "forbidden" the issue of presidential elections until June.

The vote is due in the autumn. An open race for the office of the President, an office of predominantly ceremonial functions, is not expected to begin before the summer, but some parties are already putting forward candidates.

Bulgaria to Test Warning Siren Systems on April 1

The civil defense sirens of Bulgaria are to be tested in 11 Bulgarian cities on Friday.

At 13:00 local time, an alert message will sound all across the towns and cities of Burgas, Varna, Vratsa, Kardzhali, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Ruse, Smolyan, and Sofia.

Every year the test also comprises the 30-km zone around the Kozloduy Nuclear Plant.

Bulgarian Energy Regulator Cuts Gas Price by 23% from 1 April

Bulgaria's energy regulator has endorsed a proposal of state-owned wholesale gas supplier Bulgargaz to cut natural gas price by 23.02% for the second quarter of 2016.

The latest cut takes to 48% the drop in gas price since the start of last year, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (KEVR) said in a statement on Thursday. 

Bulgaria Expects 2.1%/GDP Budget Surplus for End-March

Bulgaria's consolidated budget is expected to show a surplus of BGN 1.86 B as of end-March, equivalent to 2.1% of 2016 GDP forecast, the Finance Ministry has said, citing preliminary estimates.

This will compare with budget surplus of BGN 256 M as at end-March 2015 (0.3% of GDP), the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Bulgaria Reports BGN 915 M Consolidated Budget Surplus for End-February

Bulgaria consolidated budget has shown a surplus of BGN 915.2 M at the end of February, equivalent to 1.0% of the projected 2016 GDP.

This compared with budget deficit of BGN 105.5 M equivalent to 0.1% of GDP at the end of February 2015, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

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