Latest News from Bulgaria
FDI in Bulgaria's Non-Financial Sector Drops by 5.9% in 2014
Foreign direct investment into Bulgaria's non-financial sector decreased by 5.9% last year, reaching EUR 21.95B, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) announced on Monday.
The biggest share of foreign direct investment (FDI) went into industry - EUR 8.95B, according to preliminary data, the NSI said. Services followed with EUR 4.58B in FDI attracted in the course of 2014.
Workers from Bulgaria, Romania Arriving in Britain Nearly Double in Year to March
Workers from Romania and Bulgaria have led a jump in European migration to Britain, the Daily Mail reported in its online edition.
"Some 53,000 people from the two countries arrived in the year to March - nearly double the 28,000 in the previous 12 months," according to dailymail.co.uk.
Bulgaria MP to Table Medical Cannabis Legalization Bill
Independent lawmaker Velizar Enchev has announced he is to put forward in September a bill that would allow for cannabis to be used for medical purposes.
He has warned that "thousands of people suffering in Bulgaria" could find a means to alleviate their pain if they are able to use a mouth spray and has underlined that legalizing smoking has never crossed his mind.
SE Europe's Largest Observatory Facing Closure over Lack of Funding
Rozhen Observatory, the largest in Southeast Europe is running out of funds and might have to stop working in October, its management has warned.
Bulgaria 'Offers Azerbaijan Energy Cooperation Package'
The Bulgarian government has unveiled a package of energy cooperation projects on which it would seek to work with Azerbaijan, Bulgaria's Ambassador to the country has said.
According to reports by the Trend News Agency, Baku is being offered to take part in the construction of filling stations, gas depots, and oil refineries.
Takashi Koizumi: Bulgarian Rose Becoming Increasingly Popular in Japan
Novinite has asked Japan's Ambassador to Bulgaria Takashi Koizumi to comment on international nuclear affairs and also on bilateral relations, in a month when the world marked the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.
Bulgaria Gov't Mulls Changing Falcon Plane after Failure
Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski has said the government might opt for another Falcon aircraft for the Prime Minister and other members of the Bulgarian government after an incident on Sunday.
Gov't Airplane Carrying PM on Board Performs Emergency Landing at Varna Airport
The government Falcon airplane carrying Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on board performed an emergency landing at Varna Airport on Sunday.
The plane was conducting a flight from Varna to Plovdiv, but did not reach its final destination as the landing gear did not retract after take-off.
Bulgarian Mountain Runner Sets New Record on Completing Kom-Emine Hike
Bulgarian orienteer and mountain runner Kiril Nikolov, known as the Diesel, set a new record on completing the longest tourist route in Bulgaria - the 600-kilometre-long Kom-Emine hiking trail.
Nikolov completed the hike in four days, 13 hours, 5 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first person to cover the distance in less than five days.
Bulgarian PM Calls on World Leaders to Solve Refugee Crisis
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov called on world leaders to sit together and come up with a solution to the refugee crisis.
Borisov insisted that urgent measures should be taken to address the source of the refugee wave, namely the destabilised states in Africa and the Arab world.
According to him, this was not in the capacity of Bulgaria to deal with.
Authorities Detain Fourth Bulgarian over Dead Migrants Found in Truck in Austria
Hungarian police detained a fourth Bulgarian suspected in the trafficking of the 71 migrants, who were found dead in an abandoned truck on an Austrian motorway near the border with Hungary on Thursday.
This is the fifth arrest carried out by Hungarian authorities after three Bulgarians and an Afghan citizen had been arrested earlier on Friday.
Bulgaria Boasts 92 % Absorption Rate of EU Funds - PM Borisov
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov stated on Sunday that Bulgaria's absorption rate of EU funds amounted to 92 %.
Borisov added that in this respect Bulgaria outperformed Romania by 20 %, private bTV station reports.
Bulgarian Samuel Finzi Voted Actor of the Year in Germany
Bulgarian-born actor Samuel Finzi has been declared actor of the year in Germany.
49-year-old Samuel Finzi won the award for the role of Vladimir in Ivan Pantaleev's staging of "Waiting for Goddot" at Deutsches Theater Berlin, according to reports of DPA.
Mining Industry Accounts for 5% of Bulgaria's GDP - Energy Minister
The mining industry generates 5% of Bulgaria's GDP and provides jobs for over 24 000 people, according to Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.
Petkova attended Saturday the 50th anniversary celebration of Bulgarian mining company Asarel-Medet AD.
She noted that around 300 companies operated in the sector.
Human Smuggling in Bulgaria Is Punishable by Ridiculous Fines - Foreign Minister
Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov has argued that Bulgarian legislation must be amended so as to include harsh penalties for human smuggling instead of the current fine of BGN 1000 - 8000.
In a Saturday interview for Nova TV, Mitov made clear that Penal Code amendments envisaging much harsher penalties for human smuggling had passed first reading in Parliament on Friday.