Expats

Bulgaria to Sign Consultancy Contracts Worth EUR 7 M with World Bank [May 09, 2012] Bulgaria will pay slightly above EUR 7 M to the World Bank (WB) for consultancy services on the preparation of several strategic documents in three sectors. The sum of EUR 7 M will be provided from the money earmarked for technical assistance under a number of operational programs. The step was approved by the government on Wednesday. ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria EU Commissioner Says Yes to VAT Reduction [Mar 12, 2012] Bulgaria's European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva has backed the government's plans to lower the 20% value-added-tax by the end of its term, but with a pinch of salt. "VAT reduction is an option for boosting domestic demand, but we must carefully balance the reduction of budget revenues and more money in people's pocket," Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, a former World Bank official ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Hopes for BGN 100 M from Railway Freight Services Sale [Dec 23, 2011] Bulgaria's government hopes to make over BGN 100 M from the sale of BDZ Freight Services, the cargo subdivision of the troubled Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), according to Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. Moskovski has recently engineered and defended the plan to sell BDZ Freight Services, whose assets are worth BGN 300-320 M, in order to raise cash as a guarantee for an expected World Bank ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Georgieva Defends Raising Bulgaria's Retirement Age [Nov 26, 2011] Bulgaria's EU Commissioner and former World Bank VP Kristalina Georgieva has defended the move of the ruling center-right party GERB that stipulates an increase of the retirement age by one year as of 2012. "It is clear that Bulgaria needs a pension system reform. This is necessitated by the demographic profile of our nation.... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Slips in Global 'Doing Business' Index [Oct 20, 2011] Bulgaria has been ranked 59th among 183 countries in the Doing Business 2012 report, compiled by the International Finance Corp (IFC), the World Bank's private-sector lender. Bulgaria was placed 51st in the Doing Business 2010 and 2011 ranking, which indicates the business environment in the country is deteriorating. Bulgaria has moved up and down in comparison to other countries in 9 of the ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Eager for World Bank Expertise [Apr 04, 2011] Bulgaria is viewing international financial institutions such as the World Bank as a source of both funding and expertise, according to Deputy Finance Minister Boryana Pencheva. Pencheva spoke Monday at a public consultation on the Strategy for Partnership between Bulgaria and the World Bank in Sofia. "We are now seeing IFIs not just as a source of funds but also as a source of knowledge ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Commits to Painful Railway Reforms to Get World Bank Loans [Dec 15, 2010] Bulgaria's Cabinet and the World Bank have singed a "memorandum of understanding" for reforms in the Bulgarian state railways company BDZ. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Solid at 51st Spot in Global 'Doing Business' Index [Nov 08, 2010] Summary of Doing Business 2011 data for Bulgaria. Photo by World Bank Bulgaria is ranked 51 st among 183 countries in the Doing Business 2011 report, compiled by the International Finance Corp (IFC), the World Bank 's private-sector lender. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Solid at 51st Spot in Global 'Doing Business' Index [Nov 04, 2010] Bulgaria is ranked 51 st among 183 countries in the Doing Business 2011 report, compiled by the International Finance Corp (IFC), the World Bank's private-sector lender. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Calls on World Bank to Help Manage EU Funds [Oct 14, 2010] Bulgaria is hoping to tap into the World Bank's financial expertise in order to speed up the absorption of EUR 7 B of European funding. The money is aimed at modernising the country's infrastructure, lifting its environmental and living standards, and making it more competitive. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Calls on World Bank to Help Manage EU Funds [Oct 13, 2010] Bulgaria is hoping to tap into the World Bank's financial expertise in order to speed up the absorption of EUR 7 B of European funding. The money is aimed at modernising the country's infrastructure, lifting its environmental and living standards, and making it more competitive. [via YahooNews] More >>

World Bank: Bulgaria Can Have Top Education in SE Europe [Sep 13, 2010] Bulgaria has all chances to become the leader in education in Southeastern Europe, according to Alberto Rodriguez, Senior Education Specialist with the World Bank, cited by Darik radio. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgarias PM, World Bank President to Sign Memorandum [Aug 10, 2010] President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick (L) and Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov (R) inspecting construction equipment on the Varna-Dobrich road in north-eastern Bulgaria. Photo by BGNES. [via YahooNews] More >>

Malnutrition presents a serious social problem in Bulgaria [May 24, 2010] According to a strategic document published by the World Bank (2006), malnutrition leads to indirect losses in productivity from poor cognitive development and schooling. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Finance Minister Rejects Presidential Bid Rumors [May 02, 2010] Bulgarias Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, who left the World Bank to join the GERB cabinet says he has no aspirations to become the countrys next president. Photo by BGNES. [via YahooNews] More >>

WB Concerned over Greece Impact on Bulgaria [Apr 24, 2010] The World Bank is closely following developments in Greece because of possible implications in neighboring countries, including Bulgaria, a senior World Bank official has said. [via YahooNews] More >>

World Bank: Bulgaria Has Most Aging Population in EU (Novinite.com) [Mar 16, 2010] Roughly one in five Bulgarians is over the age of 65, making Bulgaria the country with the most aging population in the EU, World Bank representative Florian Fichtl reported. [via YahooNews] More >>

World Bank Offers Assistance for Bulgaria Road Infrastructure (Novinite.com) [Feb 27, 2010] Bulgaria?s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov and the Director of the World Bank for Central Europe and the Baltic countries, Peter Harold, held talks regarding road reconstruction and modernization. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria New European Commissioner: We Need More Faith (Novinite.com) [Feb 05, 2010] eorgieva, who worked as World Bank Vice-President before staging an excellent performance at the confirmation hearting for European Commissioner on February 3, said her top priority will be improvement of Bulgaria's image abroad. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria?s Georgieva Quits World Bank Day before Joining EC (Novinite.com) [Feb 03, 2010] Bulgaria?s EU Commissioner-Designate Kristalina Georgieva is going to quit her job as World Bank Vice-President on February 8, a day before the EP vote on the new Commission. [via YahooNews] More >>