Israeli Ambassador to Bulgaria Yossi Levi-Sfari expects an increase in Israeli tourists to Bulgaria following the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement. He emphasized that Israel’s citizens preferred nearby and friendly destinations for their vacations, and Bulgaria fit this description perfectly. The diplomat pointed to the long-standing historical ties between the two nations and noted that multiple…
Bulgaria’s potential membership in the Eurozone continues to generate mixed messages, influenced by coalition politics and unmet criteria. According to Simeon Dyankov (deputy prime minister and minister of finance from 2009 to 2013), the chance of entering the Eurozone until January 2026 is negligible. Dyankov expressed skepticism that the coalition led by Temenuzhka Petkova could…
In 2023 10.6% of the population in the European Union reported being unable to keep their homes adequately warm, marking an increase of 1.3% compared to the previous year, according to Eurostat, the EU’s official statistics agency. In Bulgaria the percentage of those unable to maintain sufficient warmth in their homes was significantly higher than…
Bulgaria will request a convergence report from the European Commission regarding its readiness to join the Eurozone once the country fulfills the price stability criterion, according to Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova. She explained that while Bulgaria meets most of the required criteria for eurozone membership, the sole remaining hurdle is related to price stability. Eurostat…
The Bulgarian government has effectively abandoned its plan to enter the eurozone on January 1, 2026, after Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova announced she would not request an extraordinary convergence report from the European Commission and European Central Bank. The country falls short of the inflation criterion by just 0.1%, with the current average annual inflation…
The Bulgarian government has announced a program to compensate businesses and non-household electricity subscribers for high energy costs until the end of March. Under the new measure, the full difference will be covered when the exchange price exceeds 180 leva per megawatt-hour, effectively preventing electricity bill increases. Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov emphasized the program’s dual…
The adoption of amendments to the Law on the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), crucial for Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone, was unexpectedly blocked in parliament as the ruling GERB party withheld its support. These changes, introduced by Dimitar Glavchev’s caretaker government, aimed to align the BNB leadership’s responsibilities with constitutional reforms from 2023, which allowed…