Economy of Bulgaria

On June 1, Saturday, Plovdiv will start a train for the first time on a route from Plovdiv to Edirne. Through this composition "BDZ-Passenger Transport" EOOD will provide its clients a convenient opportunity for a tourist trip to Turkey during the weekend, announced BDZ.

On June 1st (Saturday), for the first time, a new train line connecting Plovdiv and Edirne will be put into exploitation. Through this composition "BDZ-Passenger Transport" Ltd. will provide its clients with a convenient opportunity for a tourist trip to Turkey with a two-way ticket during the weekends.

BDZ will buy new trains worth BGN 100 mln.

By the end of the year, according to the plans of the company, a procedure should be announced for the purchase of a new trains.

The new machines will be used for the Sofia-Varna and Sofia-Burgas lines.

Funds are expected to come from the capital transfer from the budget.

The draft train timetable for 2020 is being published for public discussion on the website of the national rail carrier.

Citizens will find on the carrier's website where to send their comments. Those who wish to do so can also take their personal views in the BDZ building in Sofia.

In January - February 2019, Bulgaria's exports to the EU increased by 9.3% compared to the same period in 2018 and amounted to BGN 6 334.3 million, according to the National Statistical Institute.
The main trade partners were Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, France and Belgium, which account for 66.4% of the exports to the EU member states.

An incident involving a bus carrying children has taken place on the Hemus highway, the press center of the Ministry of Interior announced. There are no injured people. 

BDZ-Passenger Transport EOOD will provide over 19 000 additional seats of some trains that travel along the main directions in the country.

Increased seating capacity on trains is made in order to ensure comfortable mobility of customers during weekends on Easter Day, Labor Day (May 1st) and Courage Day (St.George) due to the increased interest in traveling through this period.

Last year, Bulgarians, working and living abroad, sent back almost 2.4 billion dollars (2.13 billion euros) back to the country. This is equal to 3.8% of Bulgaria's GDP, and the amount is forecast and calculated on the basis of IMF data, official national statistics and the national bank. Outside of these money transfers there is a cash transfer, but their amount is not part of statistics.

Train engineers in BDZ will receive higher salaries from  April. This is possible with the new bonus system for the staff of the locomotive staff at BDZ Passenger Transport, the company said.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amounted to BGN 29,813 million at current prices. Recalculated in euro, GDP is EUR 15 243 million, with per capita EUR 2 168. Seasonally adjusted data showed growth of 3.2% of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year and 0.8% on the third quarter of 2018.