European Union

By Sotiris Nikas

The disbursement to Greece of 2.1 billion euros from the profits of the Eurosystem from Greek SMP and ANFA bonds has hit a stumbling block due to timetable changes and different interpretations of existing agreements.

 Having secured 1-bln-euro sub-tranche from eurozone, Finance Ministry will proceed to 3-year debt issue

By Eleni Varvitsiotis and Sotiris Nikas

Bulgarian telecom VIVACOM's assets in BNB-supervised Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB) are likely to amount to EUR 71 M, the Irish Stock Exchange wrote on its website.

It reminded VIVACOM had previously put its balance at KTB, which the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) placed under conservatorship in June, at EUR 6.5 M.

The Euro Working Group on Friday approved the release of a 1-billion-euro tranche of rescue loans to Greece after deeming that Athens has honored the six so-called "prior actions" required to release the funding.

 Athens proposes extension and a fixed instead of floating rate

By Sotiris Nikas

The eurozone is responsible for almost three-quarters of the Greek state’s debt, which automatically puts it in control of the country’s obligations and explains the why the Greek government is trying so hard to have the terms of the repayment of loans altered.

Bulgaria has a chance to obtain the position of foreign policy chief in the EU Commission, an analysis by a French journalist shows.

Bulgarian conservative GERB's MEP Andrey Kovachev has been elected to be among the five Quaestors of the European Parliament, the EPP group said in a statement.

In a message entitled For the First Time a Bulgarian Is Elected to the Leadership of EP, the European People's Party (EPP) assured that "no Bulgarian" had ever assumed such a high position within the Parliament.

Lukanyo Mnyanda & David Goodman

After the European Central Bank’s June meeting sparked the biggest monthly gain in the region’s government bonds since January, investors are cooling on the debt, betting officials will refrain from more action on Thursday.

Former Environment Minister Iskra Mihaylova has become the nomination of the European Parliament's ALDE group to chair the Regional Development Committee.

 Athens determined to resolve problems with pharmacists’ profit margins and open-air markets by Friday

By Eleni Varvitsioti