Vidin

Romania on Tuesday approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Bulgaria to carry out feasibility studies on the construction of two new bridges over the Danube.

The bridges will connect Nikopol in Bulgaria with Turnu Magurele in Romania, and Silistra in Bulgaria with Calarasi in Romania.

The regions of Sliven and Burgas have the highest percentage of young population, shows data of Eurostat, quoted by Bulgarian-language media.

In the Sliven region the share of people aged below 15 is 17.6% and in Burgas - 15%. The average share of people below 15 in the EU is around 16% of the total population.

A total of 200,000 cigarettes without Bulgarian excise duty have been confiscated by a mobile team of the customs office in Vidin in a joint operation near Danube Bridge 2.

The excise goods were found inside of a vehicle with Bulgarian registration plate headed for Italy.

The contraband cigarettes were seized, and the case is the subject of an investigation.

Bulgaria has launched the construction of a new road to the border with Serbia for the opening of a new checkpoint between the two countries.

The road will pass near the Salash village in north western Bulgarian Belogradchik municipality, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) informed.

An attempted smuggling of skimming devices has been prevented at Bulgaria's border checkpoint Vidin - Danube Bridge, the press center of the Interior Ministry said.

The electronic devices have been seized from a Bulgarian registered car in a joint operation conducted on July 10 by the Border Police Directorate, State Agency National Security (DANS) and the Customs office in Vidin.

An attempt to smuggle 70 kilograms of antiques has been prevented through a joint operation of the State Agency for National Security, the Interior Ministry and the Customs agency.

The artifacts have been seized from a vehicle with Bulgarian registration at the checkpoint Vidin – Danube Bridge.

The Bulgarian authorities apprehended 263 fake EUR 200 banknotes, said the National Security Agency (DANS). 

The fake banknotes were hidden under the seat, in the trainers of the driver and in the luggage of the other passenger in an automobile with Polish registration plates. It tried to cross the border from Bulgaria into Romania at Danube Bridge 2 checkpoint in Vidin. 

An attempt to smuggle 15 kilograms of antiques has been prevented through a joint operation of the State Agency for National Security, the Interior Ministry and the Customs Agency.

Nearly half a million vehicles have run along Danube Bridge 2 connecting Bulgaria's north-western city of Vidin to Romania's Calafat since its launch on June 14, 2013.

The heaviest traffic is recorded in July, August and September, Vladimir Andreev, CEO of the company operating the facility, told Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.

The Economy Ministry together with the Sofia University will take part in a research concerning cruise tourism opportunities along the Bulgarian stretch of Danube river.