Donev

The Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, Galab Donev and Dimitar Kovachevski, launched the construction of the railway line from Kumanovo to Beljakovce in our southwestern neighbor. The line should reach the border with Bulgaria and is part of the trans-European corridor number 8 - a project more than two decades old.

The Bulgarian government will allocate BGN 20 million for a one-time aid for heating, announced acting Prime Minister Galab Donev. The decision is expected to be taken at the cabinet meeting that has already started, at which a number of legislative texts related to the commitments to receive the second tranche of funds under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan will be voted on.

"The state will allocate funds to help victims of the floods in Karlovo region. There will not be a single person left that was affected who will not be helped", stated acting Prime Minister Galab Donev during a visit to the village of Karavelovo.

"We very quickly responded to the appeal for help from the Republic of North Macedonia to solve the challenges facing the country in the energy sector. We discussed specific opportunities for electricity and natural gas transmission - both for the needs of industry and for residential users of RNM".

The caretaker government will discuss as the first item on its agenda the disaster situation in the municipality of Svoge because of the water supply problem, caretaker Prime Minister Galab Donev announced.

"We will prepare a plan to stabilize Bulgargaz. In order for the company to be able to pay the actual contracted quantities of gas". This was stated by acting Prime Minister Galab Donev.

The social partners have discussed a proposal to redesign a 60/40 job retention scheme in support of businesses and employees, Deputy Prime Minister Galab Donev told journalists on Monday after a meeting of the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (NCTC).

We are seeing a smooth transition from lockdown to economic revival. The economy is on the track to recovering and picking up speed. This is borne out by the unemployment rate which now stands at 5,65 percent.

Sofia Pride parade in the Bulgarian capital in June 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

The men appeared to be connected with the far-right Bulgarian National Union party and Lukovmarch, an annual event in commemoration of WWII general Hristo Lukov, often criticised for providing a forum for neo-Nazis to gather.

Pro-vegan activists removed their clothes, sprayed themselves with fake blood and wrapped in plastic bags in Sofia to protest against the consumption of meat products.

The protest was on the same date as St. George's Day, a tradition for which a whole lamb is roasted.