Bulgarian Red Cross

A Code Red warning is in force on Saturday for a number of regions of Eastern Bulgaria, the weather department with the Bulgarian Academy of Science has said.

The Bulgarian Red Cross has joined the emergency appeal launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to help the people in Nepal affected by the devastating earthquake on 25 April.

A National Charity Campaign in support of earthquake victims in Nepal has been launched, the Bulgarian Red Cross announced on its website.

As many as 500 000 properties in Eastern Bulgaria are owned by Russian citizens, the country's General Consulate in the country estimates.

At the same time, five Russians have become Bulgarian citizens by paying BGN 1 M in 2014, an option allowed under Bulgarian law.

A "code orange" weather alert for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hail has been declared in six Bulgarian districts, while 19 other districts are under a "code yellow" alert.

The rainfall is to intensify Tuesday afternoon.

Code Yellow was issued in five districts in Bulgaria, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology with the Bulgarian Academy of Science announced.

In the municipalities of Lovech, Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven and Ruse, cumulomnibus clouds bringing heavy downpours, thunderstorms, gale-force winds hailstorms.

Code Yellow was issued in 7 districts in Bulgaria on Thursday, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology with the Bulgarian Academy of Science announced.

A total of 29 Career Development Centers have started working in the country, Bulgaria's Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced Monday.

The career centers will operate in the cities of Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Gabrovo, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Plovdiv, Russe, Silistra, among others.

The Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) will train 80 taxi drivers in first aid courses,   the BRC chairperson Hristo Grigorov told Focus news agency. 

The pilot courses will be in the next four months and initially will be only for taxi drivers in Sofia. According to Grigorov, if the courses prove successful, they will be transferred to the Health Ministry. 

Taxi drivers from around Bulgaria will participate in a first aid training program organized by the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC).

The first group of 80 drivers will begin their lessons starting next week, the BRC informed.

Around 500 000 real estate properties in eastern Bulgaria are owned by Russian citizens, said the Russian consul in Varna Yurii Solovyov, quoted by the wire service BTA. 

The consulate in Varna covers the regions Varna, Dobrich, Shumen, Burgas, Yambol and Sliven. On its territory permanently reside 6000 Russians and around 300 000 visit Bulgaria regularly.