Bulgarian government

Vasil Velev, Chairman of the Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, expressed discontent over Bulgaria's limited acceptance into the Schengen area, highlighting the missed economic opportunities estimated at over 1 billion annually.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov is currently conducting a significant working visit to Greece, aiming to bolster strategic ties between the two nations. Denkov's agenda includes crucial discussions and a working lunch with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In a decisive move to combat environmental degradation, the Bulgarian government has ushered in new amendments, significantly heightening penalties for environmental damage and pollution that surpass permissible standards. The revised regulations, adopted on January 3, 2024, target sole traders and legal entities, amplifying the consequences for violations.

The Bulgarian government has given its nod to a brand-new Law on the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), specifically designed to facilitate Bulgaria's seamless integration into the Eurozone. This legislation, set to replace the existing law upon the country's adoption of the euro as its official currency, received approval during the Council of Ministers' meeting today.

President Rumen Radev has pressed the Bulgarian government for swift action to ensure the country's full accession to the Schengen Area by the end of the year.

Bulgaria's President Radev recently underscored the country's readiness for Schengen membership, expressing expectations for swift and unequivocal backing from the Netherlands. Radev highlighted that Bulgaria has met all prerequisites for Schengen accession since 2011 but cited internal political factors in certain EU nations as obstructive.

Hungary has sent an official message to Bulgaria that if the country does not remove the fee for the transfer of Russian gas, Budapest will impose a veto on Bulgaria's accession to Schengen. This was explained by Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov in response to a question about the reason for the decision of the Bulgarian authorities to postpone the fee.

The Bulgarian government swiftly approved an emergency allocation of $263.3 million towards the first installment for acquiring Stryker armored vehicles, set to be paid by December 15th.

The Bulgarian Government has greenlit the draft Kyiv Declaration on the environment, a pivotal step in supporting efforts led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's peace plan. This declaration emphasizes the need to assess the environmental repercussions of military activities globally, regardless of their location.

Kiril Petkov, co-chair of "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB), backed the "Denkov-Gabriel" cabinet, emphasizing Bulgaria's defense strategy focusing on modernizing the army with 21st-century technologies.