Political geography

Some 25% of buildings can become energy efficient by 2020 if Bulgaria absorbs the next programming period funds, according to Regional Development Minister Desislava Terzieva.

The ski season in the Rhodope resort Pamporovo will end around the middle of April, said the head of the Rhodope tourist association Pantelevi Memtsov. 

According to him there are few tourists in the resort right now, but the upcoming spring break will most likely will fill it with families with children. 

Bulgaria had the lowest hourly labor costs in the EU in 2013, yet it was the country to register the highest increase in the segment since 2008, according to Eurostat.

According to Eurostat data, in 2013 Bulgaria registered the lowest hourly labor costs among EU member states, at EUR 3.7, followed by Romania with EUR 4.6.

Sixty-one illegal immigrants were apprehended at Bulgaria's “green” border with Turkey in the last 24 hours, Interior Ministry said. 

They are taken to the primary holding centers and are receiving medical attention. Later they will be processed in accordance with the legal requirements. 

Bulgaria's EU funds absorption is characterized by a lack of priorities, according to EU funds expert Atanas Kirchev.

Serbia wants trade ties with both Russia and EU

BELGRADE -- PKS President Željko Sertić says Serbia has opted for the path to the European Union, but will continue economic cooperation with other countries.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin welcomed the country's honorary consuls from around the world for a conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the first part of his opening address, Minister Vigenin outlined the priorities of Bulgaria's foreign policy.

Around 500 000 Bulgarians find it difficult to pay their electricity bills, an expert at a Bulgarian energy trade union said.

In February 2014, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 249.5 thousand or by 1.4% above the registered in February 2013.

Vladimir Pisanchev, the head of Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (DANS), is to testify at a Parliamentary Committee.

He is to give his account regarding claims of intercepted calls of GERB's Sofia Municipal Councilor Orlin Aleksiev to politicians, business representatives and magistrates, Dnevnik.bg has reported.