Expats

Bulgaria Tests High-Speed Railway Section to Turkish Border [Dec 22, 2011] Bulgaria's government has made a test run of a newly renovated southern highway railway section where trains can go at 160 km/h. The testing of a section of the Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway line, which runs from the center of Southern Bulgaria to the border with Turkey, was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Poised to Sell Multi-million Railway Freight Services Co [Dec 09, 2011] Bulgaria's Borisov Cabinet has firmly decided to go for the privatization of BDZ Freight Services ? the one moderately profitable division of the vastly troubled Bulgarian State Railways BDZ. "We are certainly going to sell BDZ Freight Services, and I am responsible for that. I am not worried in any way about the privatization topic," Bulgaria's Transport Minister Ivaylo Mosvkoski stated at a ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Macedonia to Finally Have Railroad Connection [Dec 02, 2011] Macedonia will launch the construction of a railroad track leading to the country's border with Bulgaria in 2013, Macedonian Transport Minister Mile Janakieski has announced. The reconstruction of the railroad track will be launched at the beginning of 2013, the Bulgarian BGNES informs. "All research has been carried out...... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Invites Hamburg Port Co to Check Out Port Varna [Dec 01, 2011] Bulgaria hopes that Hamburg Port and Logistics Company, the operator of Germany's major port, will express interest in the concession of the Bulgarian Port Varna on the Black Sea, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski stated in Berlin. "We are currently preparing the procedure for the concession of Port Varna, and I hope that the operator of Port Hamburg will be interested," Moskovski stated at a ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Transport Chief in Rough Talks with Germany's KfW over Trains [Nov 30, 2011] Bulgaria's Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski is in Germany Wednesday for talks with the KfW bank over the failure of the troubled Bulgarian State Railways company BDZ to pay its dues for 50 brand-new Siemens trains. In October, reports emerged that since BDZ had failed to pay its installments since 2010, KfW has the right to demand them back. The 50 electric and diesel trains in question have ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Railway Strike Negotiations Flop [Nov 23, 2011] Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and Transport Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski, failed to reach Wednesday an agreement with the labor unions on the mass strike at the troubled State-owned Railway Company BDZ Holding. Moskovski told journalists after the more-than-an-hour-long meeting that there wasn't any change in the positions of both sides, meaning the strike will start Thursday as ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Eyes EU Funding for New Trains [Oct 18, 2011] Bulgaria's Transport Ministry is hoping to get EUR 300 M in EU financing for the purchase of new railway cars for the State Railroads BDZ. Transport Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski, says that on January 1, 2011, his experts will be ready to apply for funding for railway cars and engines for the 2014 ? 2020 program period, adding money for new trains could be secured as early as 2011 if some funds ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Museum of Socialist Art Welcomes First Visitors [Sep 19, 2011] Bulgaria's Museum of Socialist Art officially opened its doors to visitors Monday. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov, Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov, Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Defense Minister Anyu Angelov, Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Sets Up Crisis HQs over Lukoil Revoked Licence [Jul 29, 2011] Crisis headquarters will monitor the situation on Bulgaria's fuel market after the local refinery of Russian oil giant Lukoil was forced to halt operations for at least a month and a half, the prime minister announced. Bulgaria's Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov will head the headquarters, Boyko Borisov told journalists. It will also include Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, head ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Vows to Inspect All Its Buses after Deadly Crash [Jun 19, 2011] A technical inspection of all buses will be carried out starting Monday, the country's Transport Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski, announced. A lot of buses will be suspended after the thorough inspection, the Minister told the Bulgarian National Radio, pointing out the last similar campaign was carried out in 2003. The bus companies will be stimulated to renew their motor fleets, he said. ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's New Transport Minister: Predecessor Couldn't Cope with EC [May 19, 2011] Wednesday's dismissal of Bulgaria's ex-Transport Minister, Alexander Tsvetkov, was due to his inability to communicate properly with the European Commission, according to his successor, Ivaylo Moskovski. "It is difficult for me to give an answer, but I believe Alexander Tsvetkov remained to a certain extend unrecognizable for the European Commission," Moskovski, who until Wednesday was Tsvetkov ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's New Transport Minister Swears In [May 19, 2011] Bulgaria's Deputy Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski will be put in charge of the department in the wake of Minister Tsvetkov's surprising resignation, the parliament decided. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov proposed on Wednesday to parliament that Alexander Tsvetkov is dismissed and replaced by Ivaylo Moskovski. The proposal was supported on Thursday by 105 votes.... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Ex-Transport Minister Claims He Resigned, Was Not Ousted [May 18, 2011] Bulgaria's former Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov has claimed he resigned his post over "personal reasons" and was not ousted due to failed policies and lobbyist deals. As Tsvetkov somewhat surprisingly resigned his position on Wednesday, various statements and media reports suggested that the reasons for his dismissal have to do with the bad performance over the absorption of EU funds ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Deputy Economy, Energy Minister Quits Too [May 18, 2011] Bulgaria's deputy minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Mariy Kossev has resigned, it emerged on Wednesday just minutes after the news about the resignation of the transport minister broke. Kossev will be replaced by Delyan Dobrev, member of parliament from the ruling GERB party, who has so far served as deputy chair of the energy commission. Mariy Kosev is the second deputy minister in charge ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Transport Minister Ousted over Investigation, Failures - Report [May 18, 2011] Even though Bulgaria's Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov has formally resigned his post over "personal reasons", there are indications that he was ousted because of failed policies and lobbyist deals. Tsvetkov somewhat surprisingly resigned his position on Wednesday, the only explanation on part of the Transport Ministry being that her had personal motives for this move. Various statements ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Transport Minister to be Succeeded by Deputy - Report [May 18, 2011] Bulgaria's Deputy Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski will be put in charge of the department in the wake of Minister Tsvetkov's surprising resignation, according to reports. In his capacity of deputy minister, Ivaylo Moskovski has been responsible for the absorption of EU funds under the Transport Operative Program. Over the last few weeks EU Funds Minister Tomislav Donchev repeatedly praised ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Transport Minister Surprisingly Resigns [May 18, 2011] Bulgaria's transport minister Alexander Tsvetkov has unexpectedly submitted his resignation, it emerged on Wednesday. The information was confirmed by Education Minister Sergei Ignatov and Defense Minister Anyu Anguelov, who said the announcement was made earlier in the day by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Demands More Access to Russian Airports [Apr 07, 2011] Bulgaria wants Russia to increase the number of airports available for Bulgarian airlines, it was made clear in Moscow Thursday. The statement was made by Kamen Kichev, Bulgaria's Deputy Transport Minister, who took part in the meeting of the Bulgarian-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Partnership Bulgaria also wants Russia to introduce more ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria to Boost Its Retro Train Tourism [Apr 04, 2011] Bulgaria considers developing further its options for retro train tourism, the country's transport minister, Alexander Tsvetkov said Monday. Among the attractive and luxurious old trains the company will offer the tourists are those oncer used by former Bulgarian Tzar Boris III and communist dictator Todor Zhivkov. There has been a considerable interest in the country's retro train tours and the ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria, Serbia sign protocol on economic cooperation [Feb 22, 2011] SOFIA -- Bulgarian Transport Minister Aleksandar Tsvetkov and Serbian Trade Minister Slobodan Milosavljevi? signed on Tuesday a protocol. [via YahooNews] More >>