Macedonians

''Israel as a leading state in hi-tech would have an interest in investing in Bulgaria's potential in these areas'', President Rumen Radev said today at a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, at Jerusalem's Presidential Palace.

Bulgaria celebrates the national holiday - 140 years since the liberation from Ottoman Rule. On March 3 (February 19th in old style), in 1878, the San Stefano Peace Treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was signed, which provides for the rebuilding of Bulgaria. Independence was proclaimed thirty years later - on September 22 (October 5 in a new style) 1908.

Bulgaria ranks fifth in the world by the share of elderly people - over 25% of Bulgarians are over 60, according to UN statistics. It was presented by Ivan Neikov from the Balkan Social Policy Institute during a discussion on the active life of the elderly in Bulgaria, organized by the social ministry, Darik Radio reported.

A crowd of 5,000 took part in a protest in the centre of Skopje on Tuesday night, demanding that the immediate suspension of talks with Greece over the name dispute in New York under the UN auspices.

The protest, organised by extreme nationalist groups of the FYROM diaspora, started from the EU offices in Skopje and ended in front of the country's parliament, Protothema reports.

Bulgarian economist and statistician Mariana Kotzeva has been appointed Director General of Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

Kotzeva is not only the first Bulgarian to become a Director General within the European Commission but is also the first woman to head Eurostat.

There is a sad international statistic in which data about Bulgaria are not encouraging, Nova TV reported. If asked whether Europeans feel lonely, about 4% of Bulgarians over the age of 16 have said they have no one to ask for help in case of need. Behind these 4% are thousands of Bulgarians.

The European Council President, Donald Tusk, received standing ovations at the official opening ceremony of the Bulgarian EU Presidency on 11th of January. He delivered his whole speech in Bulgarian language and recited a poem by the famous Bulgarian poet, novelist and playwright, Ivan Vazov often referred to as "the Patriarch of Bulgarian literature".

Macedonian MPs on Thursday adopted an eagerly anticipated law that extends the official use of the Albanian language across the country.

The church and the state of Athens have fought for the name dispute of Macedonia. The disagreements between spiritual and civilian power have come to an exchange of messages through the media. And the government accused the Holy Synod of interfering in its politics.

Bulgarians spend the most on Internet and phones in Europe and least - on insurance. This shows Eurostat data, NOVA reported.

According to Eurostat, Bulgarians are giving more money than the average European for food, alcohol and cigarettes and for fuel. First of all, however, are Luxembourg and Estonia, where is the most expensive drinking and smoking.