Government of Bulgaria

The Bulgarian government is planning to allocate BGN 50 M to pensioners in Easter bonuses.

This was announced by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Saturday, daily Dnevnik reports.

The bonuses will be allocated from the revenues collected in the fight against contraband.

The parties constituting the junior coalition partner - the Reformist Bloc (RB) will determine on their own the candidate for new education minister of Bulgaria.

This became clear after a meeting between representatives of RB and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Friday.

An intergovernmental committee between Bulgaria and Russia has discussed Sofia's gas hub project and the modernization of nuclear units in its first session in five years.

Russian is now seen as one of the sources that could pump gas into the distribution center, according to the Bulgarian Economy Ministry's press office.

The cabinet of Bulgaria has refused to urge the Supreme Judicial Council (VSS), the high decisonmaking body of the judiciary, to step down, despite criticism against it in the EU Commission's report published Wednesday.

Governing parties demanded a day earlier that the VSS dissolve itself, amid a number of scandals involving its members over the past days.

The council of Bulgarian presidents, which convened for the fourth consecutive year on Monday, called for extending the role of direct democracy in the country and accelerating the pace of reforms.

The tradition for presidents to meet around the date when the Bulgarian heads of state assume office - January 22 was established by incumbent Rosen Plevneliev in 2013.

Bulgaria's Incumbent President Rosen Plevenliev and his predecessors are set to convene for a joint session on Monday.

The meeting will take place for a fourth year in a row, at the initiative of Plevneliev, the President's Press Office has said.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Vice President Margarita Popova will give an account of their fourth year in office on Thursday.

The press conference, which marks the fourth anniversary of their inauguration, is scheduled to begin at 10:00 EET and will be broadcasted live on the Bulgarian National Television (BNT).

All ministers and thirteen MPs from the parties constituting the junior coalition partner, the Reformist Bloc (RB), signed a declaration in support of the Bulgarian government.

This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and one of the co-leaders of RB Meglena Kuneva on Monday, Darik radio informs.

Kuneva is chairperson of the Bulgaria of the Citizens (DBG) Movement.

The Bulgarian parliament approved on Friday the nomination of Ekaterina Zaharieva as the country's new justice minister.

A total of 126 MPs voted in favour of Zaharieva's nomination, 66 lawmakers were against, while 17 abstained, BGNES news agency informs.

The Bulgarian parliament will vote on Friday on the appointment of Ekaterina Zaharieva, who has been nominated as the country's new justice minister.

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov presented Zaharieva to the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.