Bulgaria’s draft budget for 2024 raises questions about its realism and whether it is a mere strategy to appease the European Commission and the European Central Bank, avoiding blame for missing fiscal targets. Journalist Stefan Antonov expressed doubts about the government’s ability to meet the 3% deficit threshold while fulfilling promises to raise spending on…
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would find a way out of the situation in connection with the US government’s decision to cut off USAID funding. He said this in an interview with The Guardian. “We aren’t going to complain that some programmes have been frozen, because the most important thing for us is the…
Negotiations are underway with international partners to return $39 million seized in Switzerland to Ukraine. The relevant statement was made by National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) Director Semen Kryvonos at a press conference. “A unique case is taking place right now; we have the opportunity to return $39 million that have been seized in…
The Black Sea region in Bulgaria is facing a serious labor shortage ahead of the summer season. Hoteliers and restaurateurs are struggling to find enough workers, and in response, they are offering higher wages. Salaries for seasonal positions have been raised by at least 10% compared to last year. To fill the gap, employers are…
The Government team headed by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal met with the management of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Kyiv, led by President Nadia Calvino. Ukraine was represented by Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba. Separately, the…
Ukraine’s international reserves decreased by 1.8% in January, totaling $43.003 billion as of February 1, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) reported. “As of February 1, Ukraine’s international reserves, according to preliminary data, amounted to $43.003 billion. They decreased by 1.8% in January, but remained close to record levels,” the report said. The primary factors…
In the last quarter of 2024, the proportion of properties purchased with mortgage loans in Bulgaria grew to 27%, or roughly every third property. This marks an increase from 22% during the same period the previous year, according to data from the Registry Agency. The rise is attributed to the ongoing increase in property prices,…