Bulgaria–Republic of Macedonia relations

During the past year, the number of foreign tourists in Germany continues to grow, again making a record. According to preliminary data of the federal statistical office, the guests of the country have spent 87.7 million nights, which is a 5% growth. At the same time, the growth of the Bulgarians who have chosen this destination double.

Some 31 new schools from 11 countries have applied to be included in the list of Sunday Schools for the coming year, Director of Education for Bulgarians Abroad and School Network Directorate at the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), Natalia Mihalevska, told Focus Radio. 

More than 52% of Bulgarians did not visit their GP for the 12 months of 2017, according to a Eurostat study on the frequency of family doctor visits to citizens of the European Union (EU). The EU average is 24%, ie, one in 5 Europeans has never visited his GP for the specified period.

More than half (53%) of Bulgarian citizens over the age of 15 declare their trust in the European Union - 9 percentage points above the average across the Union. Less than a third (30%) of Bulgarians declare no distrust of the EU, and the rest have no opinion.

The Bulgarians are among the EU citizens who use the options of Internet the least, data of Eurostat shows, quoted by BNR.

Bulgaria ranks last in the EU in terms of Internet use. In 2018 only 65% of the Bulgarian citizens used Internet on a regular basis, whereas 85% of the EU citizens used Internet on a daily basis on average.

Bulgarians spent significantly more money on cultural recreation, leisure and entertainment in 2017, reported Eurostat's analysis of household spending in the EU for recreation and culture during the period in question. According to the analysis, the Bulgarians spent about 8 per cent of their total income for cultural entertainment expenses in 2017, registering 7.5 per cent in 2007.

Macedonia has signed a friendship agreement with Bulgaria and intends to honour it, Macedonia's Foreign Ministry has said, after the Bulgarian Defence Minister, Krasimir Karakachanov, disputed the existence of the Macedonian language at the weekend.

The Macedonian Foreign Ministry has come up with a serious reaction following the threat of Bulgaria's Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov that Bulgaria will prevent Macedonia from entering NATO and the European Union if our neighbor does not recognize our common history until 1944.

Bulgaria's software industry, struggling with staff shortages, is to launch a campaign to entice Bulgarian expatriates to return home after a poll found more than half would go back to Bulgaria if offered a job in the IT sector, reports Reuters. 

By a decision of the government, Petar Haralampiev was released from the post of chairperson of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, the government press office said on 5th of November. Haralampiev's position will be temporarily filled by the Deputy Chairperson of the Agency, Dimitar Vladimirov, until new Chair is appointment.