Nicolas Schmit, the newly-elected president of the Party of European Socialists (PES), has voiced his support for Bulgaria’s full accession to the Schengen Area. Speaking at a press briefing following his election at a PES congress held in Rome, Schmit emphasized the importance of Bulgaria’s integration into the Schengen Zone. “It is time for Bulgaria…
Amid sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, Latvia has become Russia’s primary whisky supplier. This booming trade relationship has a complex web of diplomatic tightropes with economic and geopolitical nuances. Latvia, one of the European Union’s smallest member states with a population of fewer than 2 million, has emerged as the number-one supplier of…
Thanks to the largest repair campaign at energy facilities in the history of Ukraine’s independence, efficient air defence and sufficient fuel resources, Ukraine will complete the 2023-2024 heating season smoothly. This was stated by the Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko. “Last year we carried out the largest repair campaign in the history of…
On the first day of spring, the power system was operating stably. No restrictions were applied to consumers. This was stated by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a Government meeting on March 1. “The second winter in the context of a full-scale invasion is over. We went through it without a single blackout and without…
Poland has signed a $2.5-billion (10 billion zloty) deal with the United States for an advanced air defence system. Once implemented, Poland will be the first country other than the US itself to use the system. The Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) – which will be delivered between 2024 and 2031 – will be part…
In 2023, the average gross monthly salary was 12,354.7 lei (about 636 euros), increasing by 17.3% in nominal value and in real terms by 3.4% compared to 2022. The data were presented by the National Statistics Bureau (BNS). In the fourth quarter of 2023, the average gross monthly salary, in units in the real sector…
Effective from March 1, Bulgaria has officially halted the use and importation of Russian oil for fuel production, following a decision by the Parliament to drop the derogation. Initially slated to remain in effect until the end of the year, lawmakers opted to significantly shorten the timeline to avoid indirectly financing Russia amidst ongoing geopolitical…