Expats

BULGARIA: Bulgaria's Unemployment Lowest in EU (seeurope.net) [Jul 31, 2006] Bulgaria has kept the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union over the past years, Labour and Social Policy Minister Emiliya Maslarova said, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: EC Disagrees With Bulgaria's Strategic Aims (seeurope.net) [Jul 28, 2006] The European Commission disagreed with Bulgaria's National Strategic Reference Framework, which outlines the strategic aims of the policy for development and the priorities that would be co-financed by the EU Structural instruments for 2007-2013, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Tourist Trade Expected to Rise in '06 (seeurope.net) [Jul 26, 2006] Bulgaria has seen its popularity among tourists rocketing in recent years while the country's tourist trade is set to see another bumper year in 2006, forecasted property investment experts from leading UK company Assetz, Sofia News Agency reports."With the growth of low-cost travel helping to boost the boom in travel around Europe, Bulgaria has been a major beneficiary as travellers have looked [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Bulgaria Raises Minimal Pension to EUR 43 (seeurope.net) [Jul 21, 2006] The government approved an amendment to monthly pensions in Bulgaria, varying between 4 and 5%, Sofia News Agency reports. Lawmakers decided that minimal pension in Bulgaria will rise by 14.8% to BGN 85 (approximately EUR 43), as of July 1. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: State-owned Hospitals' Debts Down by 6% in Jan-May '06 (seeurope.net) [Jul 21, 2006] Bulgaria's Health Minister Radoslav Gaydarski said that the debts of state-owned hospitals have been reduced by 6% during the first five months of 2006, Sofia News Agency reports.Hospitals all over the country owe over EUR 41 mln in total for medicines, and EUR 20 mln of these debts are overdue, the minister said. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Power Plant Bidders Disappoint Bulgaria (seeurope.net) [Jul 18, 2006] The financial parameters offered by the two bidders to build Bulgaria's Belene nuclear plant have emerged as unacceptable, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Bulgaria Completes 40% of EU Action Plan (seeurope.net) [Jul 17, 2006] Bulgaria has already executed 40% of the action plan adopted after the latest critical report of the European Commission presented in September, announced Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin after sending the first part of the report to Brussels, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

REGION: Over Half of Community Funds for Bulgaria and Romania Used for Other Purposes (seeurope.net) [Jul 12, 2006] The inspection made by the European Accounts Court (CCE) on the way in which community funds were used in Romania and Bulgaria over the period 2000 ? 2004 showed that more than half of the funds were not used for the purpose they given for, ACT Media news agency reports.Some projects had delays of over two years. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Gov't Changes Pension System (seeurope.net) [Jul 10, 2006] Bulgaria's government decided to make changes in the calculation of pensions, announced Labor Minister Emiliya Maslarova, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

REGION: Romania's Foreign Min Warns Against Travelling to Bulgaria (seeurope.net) [Jul 07, 2006] Romania's Foreign Ministry has coupled Bulgaria with Iran as potentially dangerous destinations that require travellers to be on high alert, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Heating Utility Companies Put Up for Sale (seeurope.net) [Jul 06, 2006] Bulgaria's sale body announced the sale of the heating utility of Plovdiv while it is expected to make the same announcement for the Varna utility, Sofia News Agency reports .Prospective applicants must be strategic investors engaged in the production and/or distribution of energy or electricity transmission. [via YahooNews] More >>

REGION: Bulgaria, Romania Aim at Joining European Economic Area (seeurope.net) [Jul 05, 2006] Bulgaria and Romania are starting negotiations for joining the European Economic Area, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

ROMANIA: Bank Takeovers Will Continue (seeurope.net) [Jul 03, 2006] The Romanian banks with less than average rating will have to accept either a merger or being taken over, central bank governor Mugur Isarescu declared in Athens at the seminar ?Greece, Bulgaria and Romanian Business & Investment Summit? organized by The Economist, ACT Media news agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

REGION: Luxembourg Ratifies EU Accession Treaty of Romania and Bulgaria (seeurope.net) [Jun 30, 2006] Luxembourg's Parliament ratified in a unanimous vote on Thursday Romania's and Bulgaria's Accession Treaty with the European Union, the Romanian foreign ministry (MAE) announced, ACT Media news agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Bulgarian Atomic Experts Express Opposition to Power Plant Closure (seeurope.net) [Jun 26, 2006] Bulgaria's decision to close Units 3&4 of its only Nuclear Power Plant should be reconsidered, experts from the Bulgarian atomic forum Bulatom said, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Globul Launches New Corporate Logo (seeurope.net) [Jun 23, 2006] Globul, Bulgaria's second largest GSM operator and member of Cosmote Group, unveiled its new corporate logo and announced plans to launch UMTS services by the end of the year., Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Bulgaria Cannot Start Dismantling Kozloduy Before 2009 (seeurope.net) [Jun 21, 2006] Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant couldn't start decommissioning the closed Units 1&2 before 2009, the plant's manager Ivan Genov said, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Bulgaria Cannot Start Dismantling Kozloduy Before 2009 (seeurope.net) [Jun 21, 2006] Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant couldn't start decommissioning the closed Units 1&2 before 2009, the plant's manager Ivan Genov said, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Supreme Court Approves Trakiya Highway Concession (seeurope.net) [Jun 20, 2006] A five-member panel of the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) rejected the protest against the highly disputable concession deal for Trakiya Highway, Sofia News Agency reports. [via YahooNews] More >>

BULGARIA: Gov't Raises Lowest Pensions (seeurope.net) [Jun 19, 2006] Bulgaria plans to increase the minimum pensions as of next month, Social Minister Emilia Maslarova announced, Sofia News Agency reports.The lowest monthly sum, which is now BGN 72.45 (about EUR 37) will most probably be boosted to BGN 85, or EUR 43. [via YahooNews] More >>