World Bank

Not the 'year of the economy' after all:

Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj EPA-EFE/VALDRIN XHEMAJ

The damage caused by the devastating earthquake that struck Albania on the morning of November 26 last year was estimated at more than EUR 985 million. The figure was announced by Agriculture Minister Bledi Çuçi in his latest damage assessment report on January 30, BGNES reported.

China will ban non-degradable plastic bags in big cities. The restaurant industry will also be banned from using single-use straws by the end of this year in an effort to reduce waste.

The country is one of the largest plastic consumers in the world, and the plan aims to reduce 30% non-degradable single-use packaging in large cities' food establishments within 5 years.

Bulgarian institutions have been working actively against anti-Semitism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva pointed out during chairing the 7th session of the National Coordination Mechanism for Human Rights, BNR reported.

A World Bank report released late on Jan. 8 projected the Turkish economy would grow 3 percent in 2020 and 4 percent in 2021, rebounding from earlier financial turmoil at a faster pace than expected as domestic demand improves.

The bank revised its previous forecast that Turkey would contract 1 percent in June 2019 to 0 percent in its latest Global Economic Prospects report.

In a report, published last night, the World Bank raises the 2018 economic growth forecast of Bulgaria from 3 to 3.6 percent, BNR reported.

For this and for next year, the World Bank is also raising its forecast - a 3 percent growth rate for 2020, and 3.1 percent for 2021. In June last year its growth forecast was 2.8 percent for both years. 

AIK bank offered about 395 million euros, according to the daily newspaper, citing unofficial sources.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday that Romania has the highest VAT evasion and the lowest VAT collection rate in the European Union, but the level of 19pct is a reasonable one. "We are the country with the highest VAT evasion. We have the lowest VAT collection rate in the EU.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated today in Paris that mini Schengen initiative is worthy of attention, recalling the World Bank estimate that its implementation would save the Western Balkans countries (WB6) with 3.5 billion euros.

Bulgaria has lost two places and is already ranked 61st in the World Bank's latest ranking of country-by-country business conditions around the world, the latest Doing Business 2020 report shows.