Bulgaria: BDZ will see immediate upgrades

Bulgaria’s Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov shared his impressions of a train journey from Mezdra to Sofia on Facebook, highlighting both the positive aspects and the areas that needed improvement. Following this experience, he issued a series of orders aimed at enhancing comfort and cleanliness on trains, as well as ensuring better overall service. In his…

Bulgaria: experts urge Bulgarians to deposit over 30 billion leva in banks ahead of eurozone entry

Cash holdings in Bulgaria remain high, with over 30 billion leva reportedly kept outside the banking system. The Association of Bulgarian Banks has urged citizens to deposit these funds into banks ahead of the country’s planned eurozone entry. James Yolovski, Secretary General of the association, explained this during an interview with Bulgarian National Radio. Positive…

Ukraine: over 2,300 Ukrainians receive housing loans

Since the resumption of registry operations in 2025, 2,334 Ukrainians have taken advantage of the affordable mortgage programme eOselia, securing loans totalling UAH 4.3 billion. This was announced by Andrii Teliupa, Deputy Minister of Economy. “The eOselia programme offers flexible and attractive conditions for obtaining a loan to purchase a home. Since its launch, 17,174…

Ukraine: government will provide one-time assistance to young medics working in rural areas and combat zones

The Government has introduced one-time financial assistance for young medics who choose to work in rural areas or combat zones. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a Cabinet meeting on May 30. Specifically, a resolution was adopted to provide one-time financial aid to graduates of medical higher education institutions who, upon completing…

Bulgaria: regulators launch measures to prevent speculation and protect consumers during euro introduction

The Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) and the Commission for Competition Protection (CCP) are joining forces to prevent an unjustified increase in the prices of goods and services during the transition to the euro. The two commissions will also investigate for any prohibited agreements between traders that might fuel such speculation. According to Rosen Karadimov, chairman…

Slovakia: tax collection decreases in 2024

Last year, eight in 10 tax audits ended with a penalty and an additional tax assessment. Yet despite the rising efficiency of the Financial Administration, the state collected nearly EUR 100 million less through this channel compared to the previous year. The administration focused primarily on value-added tax (VAT), where it recorded the highest number…