Bulgaria: euro adoption proceeds without major issues

Bulgaria’s transition to the euro is proceeding smoothly, marking a major step in the country’s full integration into the European Union, according to an analysis by the Fiscal Council. The Council notes that the adoption of the single currency benefits from particularly favorable conditions. Bulgaria’s long-standing currency board and fixed exchange rate have minimized the…

Latvia: restaurant sector warns of mass closures

Restaurants in Latvia are currently in a very difficult situation, says Janis Jenzis, head of the Latvian Restaurant Association (LRA). He noted that another Michelin-recommended restaurant, Barents, had announced its closure, which clearly showed that at the beginning of the year the catering industry and restaurants were facing serious hardship. Jenzis added that difficulties in…

RUSSIANS SHARPLY REDUCED PURCHASES OF BEEF AND LAMB AFTER PRICES ROSE BY DOZENS OF PERCENT

Russian consumers are refusing to buy the most expensive types of meat, increasingly “tightening their belts” and switching to a mode of saving. For January–September 2025, retail sales of beef decreased by 6% in natural terms, and lamb by 39%, reports “Kommersant” citing data from the analytical company Ntech. Russians are replacing expensive meat with cheap chicken: its sales increased by 4%.…