Economy of Bulgaria

SOFIA (Bulgaria), August 17 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's revenue from foreign tourist arrivals rose by an annual 9.7% to 1.3 billion euro ($1.5 billion) in the first six months of 2018, the tourism ministry said on Friday, quoting data from the central bank.

Bulgaria is the second largest exporter of four types of goods, with exports last year earning over 68 million dollars or more than $ 114 million leva in 2017.

SOFIA (Bulgaria), July 30 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's gross foreign debt fell by an annual 4.2% to 32.8 billion euro ($38.4 billion) at the end of May, the central bank said.

The gross foreign debt was equivalent to 62.1% of the projected 2018 gross domestic product (GDP), down from 67.9% of GDP at the end of May 2017, the Bulgarian National Bank said in a statement on Friday.

Bulgaria continues to rank third in the European Union (EU) with the lowest ratio of government debt to gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2018, European Statistical Office Eurostat data show.

This year, Bulgaria is expected to achieve defense spending equal to 1.56 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). This shows data provided by NATO.

The Bulgarian government has given a loan of nearly BGN 104 million to BDZ, which the holding will use to repay its obligations under its second bond loan concluded in 2007 to cover old liabilities and carry out ongoing repairs of freight wagons.

Allocated funds are sufficient to cover the remainder of the loan due for this loan, the total value of which is BGN 240 million.

The monument of the sailor will be built at almost 10 meters in Varna. This was revealed to Darik by Cap. Dimitar Dimitrov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Maritime Destiny Foundation. Their is the initiative for a symbol of sailors in the sea capital.

On Monday July 2 will begin the renovations in the center of Sofia between Alexander Nevski squares, National Assembly, Tsar Osvoboditel boulevards and Vasil Levski, Crystal garden and Moskovska Street. The repairs will end next year.

The square surrounding the cathedral will be a completely pedestrian area.

A man suffered from a stone thrown at a train, announced BDZ. On Sunday evening around 21:50, the fast train from Blagoevgrad to Sofia was attacked with stones by unknown people in the area between Gorna Bania Station and Zaharna Fabrika.

As a result of the vandalism, a young man who had traveled on the train was injured.

Another incident with a train happened yesterday with in Bulgaria. The Plovdiv-Panagyurishte train caught on fire while on the move. The incident occurred on the early Sunday afternoon in the area of ​​Tsar Asen village, passengers reported to Darik radio. In panic, people jumped from the composition and started to walk on the rails. There is no evidence of injuries.