As Latvia is moving to ban Russian instructions in ATMs, Lithuania is not considering similar measures. Banks say the Russian-language option is used by about 8% of their clients. The Latvian parliament is one vote away from banning instructions in Russian in the country’s ATMs. If the motion comes through, users will only be able…
According to the latest Eurostat figures, Bulgaria has emerged as one of the top five EU countries in terms of growth in tourist overnight stays in the second quarter of 2024. This period shows a marked increase compared to the same timeframe in 2023, underscoring Bulgaria’s appeal to both domestic and international visitors. During this…
The first large privatization auction has been completed in the Prozorro.Sale system, selling Kyiv-based Ukraine Hotel for UAH 2.5 billion. The auction results were published on the website of Prozorro.Sale JSC. On September 18, the first auction was held as part of large privatization. Four-star Ukraine Hotel, situated in downtown Kyiv, was offered for sale.…
The Bulgarian tourism industry faces significant challenges due to delays in processing both work and tourist visas for individuals from third countries. The situation has particularly impacted the tourism and construction sectors, with other industries also struggling to manage visa applications. The issue intensified following the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a shift in the workforce,…
The Bulgarian government has decided to extend compensation for high electricity costs to all non-household consumers by the end of the year, following a change in the compensation program. The measure, requiring over 500 million leva (250 million euros), has been approved by the European Commission. According to the Minister of Energy, approximately 549 million…
On September 17, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported in the first reading the Government’s draft law No. 11520 on a new version of the Law on Public Procurement. 289 MPs voted in favour. This document brings Ukraine’s legislation closer to EU standards and improves the public procurement process in the context of the country’s…
On September 17, the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPFU) presented the Land Bank project, which would transform the market of state agricultural land. The event was organised by the SPFU in partnership with the USAID / UK aid State-Owned Enterprises Reform Activity (SOERA) project. The presentation was attended by representatives of the Parliament, the…