Microeconomics

According to the Ministry of Finance, Bulgaria's budget surplus has shrunk to 600 million euros by the end of August. A month before that, the Treasury's surplus was above 1.5 billion euros, but sharply decreased after the deal for purchasing F-16 fighters, BNR reported.

The government announced on Saturday a number of measures to support tourism enterprises and workers affected by the demise of UK tour operator Thomas Cook.

The Greek branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has launched an initiative in cooperation with Unilever Food Solutions aimed at curbing food waste at three hotels.

The National Statistical Institute reports record low unemployment in Bulgaria. For the second quarter of the year the coefficient is 4.2 percent and compared to the second quarter of 2018 decreased by 1.3 percentage points. The total number of unemployed for the period is 142.0 thousand, of which 82.7 thousand (58.2 percent) are men and 59.3 thousand (41.8 percent) are women.

Greece sold 813 million euros ($906.17 million) of six-month treasury bills to refinance a maturing issue, the country's debt agency PDMA said on Wednesday.

The debt agency sold the new paper at a yield of 0.15 percent, down 8 basis point from 0.23 percent in a previous sale in July. The amount raised included 187.5 million euros in non-competitive bids.

Industrialists expect the new government to accelerate the licensing process, cut energy costs and offer amortization incentives, but have expressed disappointment that there is no ministry for industry.

In the first six months of the year, the number of people who started work exceeds the number of those who are registered as unemployed, the Employment Agency reports. For the period, 123,410 unemployed registered in the Labor Offices have started work.

The Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) will investigate the company under chapter seven of the relevant law, namely unfair competition.

The prices of some of the main commodities in Bulgaria are now close to the average for Europe. This shows Eurostat data on prices in Bulgaria compared to the average European ones, Nova TV reported. Prices for milk, cheese and eggs reach 98% of the Union average. That's how we take the tenth place in the Union.

Police in Athens on Tuesday were questioning two Iraqi nationals in connection with the knifing of a kiosk worker on Monday night near Syntagma Square.
One of the two men is alleged to have stabbed the employee while robbing the kiosk on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue.
A customer at the kiosk also sustained minor injuries during the incident.