Expats

Bulgaria, Romania may hope for Schengen entry after EU reports [Feb 09, 2012] Bulgaria and Romania have made some progress against corruption and organized crime, the EU executive said. [via YahooNews] More >>

EU criticizes Bulgaria, Romania on reforms [Feb 08, 2012] The European Union criticized Romania and Bulgaria on Wednesday for being too slow to reform their judicial systems or to combat corruption and organized crime. The move casts doubt on the two Balkan nations joining the borderless Schengen zone anytime soon. [via YahooNews] More >>

EU Criticizes Bulgaria, Romania on Reforms [Feb 08, 2012] EU criticizes Bulgaria, Romania on reforms, sets back their hopes to join borderless zone [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Welcomes 6th US State Secretary Visit [Feb 05, 2012] US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Sunday visit to Sofia is the sixth visit of a head of the American diplomatic service to Bulgaria. In February 1990, US Secretary of State James Baker made a trip to Romania and Bulgaria, where he met President Petar Mladenov and opposition representatives. The second visit was in November 1999 by Madeleine Albright, who prepared the imminent visit of ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria PM to Inspect Danube Bridge 2 Construction Each Month [Feb 03, 2012] Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will personally inspect the construction of the so-called Danube Bridge 2 between Bulgaria and Romania each month, it has been made clear. "I wasn't to know what these companies that receive so much money are doing every day," the Prime Minister declared during the latest Council of Ministers sitting. On Wednesday, the Bulgarian government decided to draw ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Remains Closer to Balkans than EU - Study [Jan 31, 2012] Bulgaria and Romania lag behind other EU countries in their development, according to a recent study. The two newest EU Member States remain commensurable to the other Balkan countries in terms of economic state, quality of life, level of democracy and state governance, according to the so-called Catch-up Index, prepared by experts of the Open Society Institute. The study analyses Bulgaria's EU ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Joins Romania in Danube Sturgeon Protection [Jan 26, 2012] Bulgaria has officially extended its one-year ban on Danube sturgeon fishing for a further four year, thus joining its northern neighbor Romania. "It is of utmost importance that Bulgaria has finally joined Romania in this very important measure", said Vesselina Kavrakova, Programme Manager of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme in Bulgaria, as cited by WWF. "The Romanian moratorium came into ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Boosts Exports to EU by 34% Y/Y Jan-Oct 2011 [Jan 09, 2012] Bulgaria's exports to the rest of the EU increased by 33.8% year on year in the period January - October 2011, according to preliminary data released by the country's National Statistical Institute. Bulgaria's main trading partners within the bloc in that period were Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece and Belgium.... [via YahooNews] More >>

Analyst: Bulgaria and Romania's EU accession 'was right' (News) [Jan 03, 2012] Bulgaria and Romania are struggling harder than the former communist countries of Central Europe to integrate into the European Union, but a leading French researcher says the decision to take them on board was the right one. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU [via YahooNews] More >>

Analyst: Bulgaria and Romania's EU Accession 'was right' [Jan 03, 2012] From EurActiv Bulgaria and Romania are struggling harder than the former communist countries of Central Europe to integrate into the European Union, but a leading French researcher says the decision to take them on board was the right one. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on 1 January 2007. ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Five years in, newest EU states floundering [Jan 01, 2012] When Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union five years ago, the two countries were entering a realm of peace, wealth, security and stability. Today, the EU?s newest members are racked with disappointment. [via YahooNews] More >>

Unexcited Bulgaria Marks 5 Years as EU Member [Jan 01, 2012] Bulgaria and Romania are marking Sunday, January 1, 2012, five years since they joined the European Union as full member states ? a step that many across the EU still describe as premature. Bulgaria and Romania's accession meant the EU had 27 members and half a billion people, stretching as far east as the Black Sea. The two Balkan states, however, are still struggling with reforms in key ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria to Start Building Gas Links to Greece, Romania in 2012 [Dec 25, 2011] Bulgaria is about to start construction a natural gas interconnection with Romania in a few weeks, according to Bulgarian Economy, Energy, and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov. The building of the Bulgarian-Greek gas interconnection will be started in the third quarter of 2012, Traikov told BTA Sunday. Bulgaria moved to link its natural gas grid to that of its neighbors after the January 2009 ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Romania to Set Up JV to Run New Danube Bridge [Dec 21, 2011] Bulgaria's government has approved a draft agreement with Romania for the creation of a joint venture to operate the future "Danube Bridge 2", the second bridge to link the two Balkan states over the Danube river. The Cabinet in Sofia has granted a mandate to Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski to negotiate the signing of the JV agreement with the Romanian side on the bridge linking Bulgaria's ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Surfware Appoints David Holding Company as New VAR in Bulgaria & Romania [Dec 21, 2011] Surfware, Inc., developer of SURFCAM CAD/CAM systems, is pleased to announce the appointment of David Holding Company as its new reseller in Bulgaria and Romania. David Holding Com [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Helps EU Fail IMF Bailout Target [Dec 20, 2011] The European Union failed to table its EUR 200 B target to the International Monetary Fund to use as bailout for financially troubled members of the eurozone. EU member states, including all eurozone members, plus Denmark, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden managed to gather some EUR 150 B for the rescue fund. Bulgaria was among the few countries - including also the UK, Romania and Hungary ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Proclaims All-out Support for Moldova's EU Integration [Dec 15, 2011] Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov has joined forces with his counterparts from Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia on backing the EU integration of the Republic of Moldova. The foreign ministers of the seven Eastern EU member-states, Bulgaria included, have signed a letter to the EU institutions in support of Moldova's bid to join the EU. Should that ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria a mix of the old and new [Dec 11, 2011] Bulgaria -- When I tell people where I am going on vacation I can see their minds trying to pinpoint it on a map ? is it somewhere off in Eastern Europe or possibly near Russia ? No and, no. Bulgaria is the seat of the Balkans, nestled north of Greece and south of Romania. While Bulgaria may be a new destination for some, it has long been a vacation haven for Europeans. Even during communism ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Might Join Schengen by Sea, Air in 2012 [Dec 11, 2011] Bulgaria and Romania are to join the Schengen zone with their maritime and aerial borders on March 25, 2012, the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) is proposing. The proposal has been listed in the draft decision of the EU Council of Ministers, the correspondent of the Bulgarian National Television, BNT, reported from Brussels Sunday. In addition, the proposal includes text that the land ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria?s Schengen (Corruption) Ordeal and Finland [Dec 09, 2011] One more obstacle on Bulgaria's way to join the Schengen Agreement seemed to vanish in mid-November when Finland officially softened its stance on the country's bid to enter EU's border-free zone. The Nordic country agreed to a compromise phased-in solution proposed by France and Germany, albeit it surely remains in doubt as to whether Bulgaria and Romania are mature enough to join Schengen. The ... [via YahooNews] More >>