Starting on January 1, 2026, excise duty rates on tobacco products and alcohol in Estonia will rise by 10% and such tax increases typically lead to higher retail prices. Although both tobacco and alcohol excise duty rates were higher this year than last, tobacco excise revenue over the first 10 months of the year came…
Since the beginning of 2025, the European Union has provided Ukraine with EUR 28.7 billion in financial support, bringing total EU assistance since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion to EUR 70.7 billion. Ukrainian Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko said this while commenting on the disbursement of EUR 2.3 billion under the Ukraine Facility…
2025 marked a historic year for investment gold, both globally and in Bulgaria, with record prices and growing investor interest. Over the past 12 months, gold surged nearly 60% year-on-year, setting more than 50 new price peaks, confirming its position as one of the best-performing assets. Despite a brief correction in October, the market has…
The share of consignments from China and e-commerce volumes are growing rapidly. One of the most aggressive online shops is Temu, which uses psychology to influence consumers. Experts recommend that consumers consciously consider the impact of their purchases and, where possible, prefer local producers. Omniva Estonia’s head of sorting, Eduard Resetov, said that goods of…
The Romanian government approved a draft law on December 18, creating the legal framework for the repayment of a $6.8-million debt to the United States executive. The sum will cover a loan contracted in 1992 for 30 years for the import of cotton for the textile industry. The imports were carried out through operators designated…
In October, Bulgaria recorded a current account deficit of 1.0646 billion euros, marking the largest monthly shortfall since September 2022, according to preliminary data from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) on the country’s balance of payments. The trade deficit also widened sharply, reaching 1.0444 billion euros, while foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows increased by 448.5…
During the week, three working meetings were held – consultations with the Government of Ukraine represented by the Ministry of Development, the Ministry of Finance and other responsible ministries – on the consideration of the second round of applications under the Ukraine Investment Framework (UIF) mechanism. Representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the…