Latest News from Bulgaria

Bulgaria's PM Lashes Out at Business Unions over Power Price Demands

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has criticized employers' organizations over their demand that a hike of electricity prices for industrial consumers be postponed.

Power prices for industries are set to rise by 15-20% from August, and the national energy regulator KEVR is to officially confirm the move on Friday, July 31.

Bulgaria's Ludogorets Signs Brazilian Left Back as Eighth New Player

Bulgaria's reigning football champion Ludogorets signed on Wednesday a contract with the Brazilian player Natanael Batista Pimienta.

Before coming to Razgrad, the 24-year-old left back played for the Brazilian team Atletico Paranaense, where he recorded 55 games and scored one goal and seven assists.

Maya Manolova Elected Bulgaria's National Ombudsman

Bulgarian lawmakers have elected socialist party MP Maya Manolova National Ombudsman, the chairman of her party has said.

Mihail Mikov has made his comments, quoted by daily 24 Chasa, as ballots are still being counted in the single secret voting procedure arranged under Bulgaria's legislation.

Five Bulgarian MPs to Quit Party Group

Five Bulgarian lawmakers from the Bulgarian Democratic Center (BDC)'s parliamentary group are to submit their requests to leave it, one of the MPs has said.

BDC was set up by lawmakers who were previously part of a coalition led by MEP Nikolay Barekov and made it into Parliament within an alliance led by his Bulgaria without Censorship party.

Bulgaria PM 'Utterly Disappointed' with Referendum Questions

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said he is "utterly disappointed" by a voting in Parliament in which MPs rejected two of the three questions to be put forward in a referendum on election rules.

Thracian Treasures Return to Bulgaria After Exhibition in Louvre

The Thracian treasures, which had been on exhibition at the Louvre museum since April, returned to Bulgaria late on Wednesday.

The return of the treasure was carried out under strict security measures, with its arrival at the airport and transportation to the National Historical Museum (NIM) being heavily guarded, private bTV station reports.

Temperatures in Bulgaria to Exceed 40 Degrees as Heat Wave Reaches Its Peak

The heat wave, which has gripped Bulgaria, is expected to reach its peak on Thursday with temperatures expected to exceed forty degrees.

Orange code for high temperatures has been issued for all 28 regions of the country with the temperatures in many places expected to be between 38 an 41 degrees, private bTV station informs.

Bulgarian Employers' Associations, Trade Unions Protest Imminent Power Price Hike

Representatives of employers' associations and trade unions staged protests over a forthcoming power price hike in a number of cities across Bulgaria.

The rally in Sofia, which started at the Council of Ministers building an ended in front of the National Assembly, was attended by several hundred people, according to reports of Capital daily.

Youth Unemployment in Bulgaria Drops to 17.7% in 2014

Youth unemployment in Bulgaria dropped by 4.1 percentage points on the year in 2014, according to the 2014 annual report on youth approved by the government.

Unemployment in the age group 15-29 stood at 17.7%, down by 4.1% from 2013.

Bulgaria's Govt OKs Draft Version of Operational Program Targeting SMEs

Bulgaria's government has approved a draft version of the new operational program Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) Initiative 2014-2020.

The operational program has a budget of EUR 102 M, which is to be used to provide more favorable terms for SMEs seeking debt financing, according to the press office of the Council of Ministers.

Army Lends Support in Extinguishing Wildfire in Bulgaria's Haskovo Region

The district governor of Bulgaria's Haskovo Dobri Belivanov has requested aid from the Defence Ministry in extinguishing the wildfire raging between the villages of Bryagovo and Ostar kamak.

A military unit has been dispatched to the area and is already lending support to the crews of firefighters.

Roderick Moore to Serve as Interim U.S. Charg? d'Affaires in Sofia

The U.S. Embassy in Sofia announced on Wednesady that Roderick Moore will assume duties as the interim charge d'affaires on August 5.

Moore, who was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy to Bulgaria in 2000-2003, will serve in the new position until the latter part of this year, the embassy said in a statement.

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