Bansko

A huge 5-km traffic jam has blocked the Struma highway near Blagoevgrad in another "epic journey" because of the four-day holiday, reported BGNES.

The exit of LOT-2 of the highway near Blagoevgrad is blocked and traffic from there continues along E-79 to the two border checkpoints with Greece and the resorts Bansko and Sandanski.

Damages of nearly BGN 14 M (EUR 7) have been incurred by the state as a result of a scam run by a Bulgarian construction company, prosecutors have said.

Forecasts are predicting 40 % drop in the number of Bulgarian tourists visiting Greece over the long weekend which begins on Thursday with the celebration of Bulgaria's national holiday (Liberation Day) and lasts until Sunday.

This drop is due to the blockade staged by Greek farmers at checkpoints along the border with Bulgaria in the past month.

The Bulgarian government has allowed a subsidiary of Canada-based Dundee Precious Metals to explore a field in Bansko municipality, Southwestern Bulgaria, for metallic minerals.

The Bulgarian ski resort of Bansko registered a drop of 15-20 % in the number of Greek tourists in the past month due to the blockades staged by Greek farmers at checkpoints along the border with Bulgaria.

This preliminary data was presented by the mayor of Bansko, Geogri Ikonomov, in an interview for Focus radio on Monday.

A male Romanian skier has died after hitting a rock outside a designated ski run in the Bulgarian winter resort of Bansko, BGNES reported on Sunday.

The accident took place man about 2 p.m. on Sunday in a ravine leading to Banderitza chalet below Todorka peak, according to the Bulgarian news outlet.

Bulgarian Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova has said more people visited ski resorts in the country around Christmas and New Year compared to the 2014-2015 winter holidays.

The new winter season was officially opened in two of Bulgaria's most popular winter resorts - Borovets and Pamporovo on Saturday.

The ski season in the other major winter resort of Bansko was opened last week with a ceremony attended by Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova, Sports Minister Krasen Kralev and a number of ski legends.

The resort town of Bansko on Saturday is welcoming its first ski tourists this year with a special inauguration ceremony.

Sports Minister Krasen Kralev attended the festive events which began at the new lift built in the Shiligarnika area, specialized websites report.

Many people gathered in the town of Septemvri on Wednesday to celebrate with a special folklore programme the 70th anniversary of the only operating narrow-gauge railway in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria's only operating narrow-gauge railway runs between Septemvri and the town of Dobrinishte, which is located near the ski resort of Bansko.