Environmental science

Air pollution in Sofia with fine dust particles has been detected over the past one year.

The official statement was made in a report prepared by the monitoring department to the State Environmental Agency, the Bulgarian National radio reported.

There currently are 50 stations on air control across the country, with six in the capital Sofia.

Weather will continue to be cold on Thursday, with clouds and chances of snow, especially in the northern parts of the country. Northerly winds are forecast and wind velocity will reach 8 on the Beaufort scale.

Weather will be cloudy in Northern Greece with temperatures ranging from -9C- 8C.

The Environment and Health ministries on Tuesday issued a joint statement asking households to limit their use of fireplaces, particularly in urban areas, today as weather conditions are likely to aggravate atmospheric pollution.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the PSD-UNPR-PC (Social Democrat Party, National Union for Romania's Progress and Conservative Party) alliance's candidate for Romania's Presidency, said late on Monday, on Antena 3 TV station, that on Tuesday he would invite all his 13 contenders to participate in an open debate.

Greece is to draft its first ever national strategy to protect the country’s biodiversity, it was revealed on Wednesday.

Environment Minister Yiannis Maniatis said that he has signed a ministerial decision that paves the way for a 15-year strategy to be adopted 14 years after Greek authorities first began discussing such a scheme.