Latest News from Bulgaria

H&M to Launch Online Store In Bulgaria Next Year

The Swedish clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is launching an online store for Bulgaria in 2015, the company said in a press release.

The exact date is not given.

H&M will also launch online stores in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.

Bulgaria's Environment Ministry Warns Of Rising Water Levels In Rivers

Bulgaria's Environment Ministry warns of expected rise of water levels in the rivers, reports Dnevnik.bg.

Due to expected heavy rains, starting on Tuesday evening in western Bulgaria and moving to eastern Bulgaria on Wednesday, the ministry warns that water levels in the rivers of Danube, Black Sea and western and eastern catchment areas are expected to rise.

Bulgaria's Central Bank Reports Drop In Foreign Investment

Bulgaria becomes unattractive for foreign investment, shows a report of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), quoted by the Sega daily.

According to the data in the first three quarter of this year the country attracted only EUR 1.105 B in foreign investments. This is by 4.8% lower than in the same period of 2013, which was a record low year.

Bulgaria Condemns Jerusalem Synagogue Attack

"Bulgaria strongly condemns the attack on the synagogue and the religious school in Jerusalem," said Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry in a press statement.

"We share the grief of the families of the victims and wish speedy recovery to the injured," the statement reads.

"Such aggression is causing severe damage to interethnic and interreligious relations between the two sides."

Calls Grow for Bulgaria to Make Voting Compulsory

Tsvetan Tsvetanov, deputy chaiman of the ruling Citizens for a European Bulgaria party, GERB, on Monday said that the government may make voting compulsory some time in 2015.

"It is important to have 70 to 80 per cent of voters determining the representation in parliament, rather than 48 per cent, as we had at the last election," Tsvetanov told daily newspaper, 24 Chasa.

Nationalists Threaten to Withdraw Support for Borisov Cabinet

The Patriotic Front (PF) might withdraw its support for the coalition government of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, announced Valeri Simeonov, co-chairman of PF.

This step might be taken as a retaliation measure against the appointment of Orhan Ismailov to the position of Deputy Minister of Defence, explained Simeonov for the Bulgarian National Television.

Turkey's Ambassador Suleyman Gokce Criticises Plans For Fence Along Border

Turkey's ambassador to Bulgaria Suleyman Gokce said that his country was against the construction of a fence along the entire border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

Number of Illegal Immigrants Entering Bulgaria Via Greece Increases

The number of illegal immigrants entering Bulgaria through the border with Greece, continues to rise, Interior Ministry sources tell Dnevnik.bg.

The information was confirmed by the Refugee Agency.

According to its data, the number of persons, apprehended at the border with Greece was 291 since the beginning of the year. For comparison, in 2013 the number was 31.

Parliament To Discuss Budget Update

Bulgaria's Parliament will discuss at an extraordinary meeting the budget update.

Last week the interim parliamentary committee on budget and finances approved the update of the budget of the national health insurance fund (NZOK) and the proposed update of the state budget.

NZOK will get additional BGN 100 M.