Council of Ministers

Farmers and animal breeders from 26 agricultural organizations have converged on the heart of Sofia, staging a protest in front of the Council of Ministers. The protesters have barricaded the square, demanding the immediate resignation of Minister Vatev and urging for constructive dialogue with the authorities.

Amidst a fervent outcry, 26 agricultural organizations will gather outside the Council of Ministers, demanding the immediate resignation of Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev. Defiant against government negotiations, these longstanding groups, boasting a collective 20 years of existence and employing over 300,000 individuals, assert their legitimacy.

Despite the recent agreement reached between the government and major farming organizations, two farmers' associations are persisting with their protest actions. Today, they plan to block the Ilinden-Exochi border crossing in a display of ongoing discontent.

Farmers across Bulgaria have decided to end their protest actions following fruitful negotiations with government officials. The National Grain Producers Association Chair, Iliya Prodanov, announced the decision after a meeting with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov and Agriculture and Food Minister Kiril Vatev.

The Bulgarian Parliament approved on first reading amendments to the Labor Code, which improved the regulatory framework regarding remote work. The legislative proposal submitted by the Council of Ministers received backing from 136 members of parliament, while five abstained.

In a move to support Ukraine's industrial recovery efforts, Bulgaria has announced its participation in the "Green Program for the Industrial Recovery of Ukraine" initiated by the United Nations Organization for Industrial Development (UNIDO). The decision was made by the Council of Ministers, as revealed by the press service of the cabinet.

The National Association of Grain Producers (NAG) in Bulgaria has declared an indefinite protest set to commence tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., involving the blockage of 80 key points across the country utilizing heavy equipment.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has announced a targeted approach to extend financial assistance exclusively to grain producers facing losses in 2023. This decision comes after a meeting in the Council of Ministers with representatives of major agricultural organizations, where the Prime Minister emphasized that only farms demonstrating financial losses will qualify for support.

Starting today, students above 14 years of age, university students, and doctoral candidates in Sofia will experience changes in the pricing structure for public transport cards. The annual fee for the entire network is now set at BGN 200, with a monthly fee of BGN 20 for all lines. The cost for one line (ground transport or metro) is BGN 9.

In a strategic meeting on Monday, Bulgarian Defence Minister Todor Tagarev engaged in discussions with Ukraine's Ambassador to Sofia, Olesya Ilashchuk, focusing on the implementation of National Assembly resolutions and Council of Ministers decisions regarding military aid to Ukraine.