17/05/2012

Bulgaria has registered an increase in its foreign direct investment in January-March 2012 year-on-year, according to the latest data of the Bulgarian National Bank released Wednesday. According to preliminary data, the Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria for January - March 2012 amounted to EUR 236.8 M (0.6% of GDP), compared to a negative FDI of EUR 42.2 M (0.1% of GDP) for January - March 2011, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

16/05/2012

The Gross Domestic Product, GDP, in Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2011 increased by 0.5%, compared with the same quarter of the previous year. GDP remains at the same level compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. These flash estimates were released Tuesday by the Bulgarian National Statistics Institute, NSI. According to the flash GDP estimates for the first quarter of 2012, the GDP at current prices amounted to BGN 15 661 M, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

15/05/2012

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Bulgaria on Friday, May 18, it has been announced. Erdogan's busy schedule will limit his visit to the country to just a couple of hours. Ahead of the Turkish PM's visit to Bulgaria, Turkish media have reminded that Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov recently declared his country's readiness to cooperate with Turkey in the field of military production, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

14/05/2012

Bulgaria should undertake urgent reforms in its healthcare and retirement systems in order to improve its competitiveness, according to Andrea Casini, Deputy chairmain of the MB and Chief Operative Officer at Unicredit Bulbank. Casini assessed the competitiveness of Bulgaria's economy with a score of 6 out of 10, adding that the state should encourage new business incentives and stimulate young entrepreneurs, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

11/05/2012

The project company for the construction of unit 7 of the Kozloduy NPP, "Kozloduy NPP- New Capacities", has been established with an initial capital of BGN 2 M divided into 200 000 shares. The project company is fully owned by the Kozloduy NPP. Mihail Andonov, CEO of the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), has been appointed Chairman of the Board Directors, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

09/05/2012

Stilyan Vatev, CEO of United Bulgarian Bank (UBB), has suggested that the Bulgarian economy has sufficient potential to recover from the crisis soon, as long as its positive sides are put to use. Speaking Tuesday at a round table titled "Protection and Development of Bulgarian Production – a Factor for Emerging from the Crisis", Vatev suggested that Bulgaria had to focus on agriculture, upper-class tourism, the construction of transport and logistics centers and energy transmission networks, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

07/05/2012

Arab countries are ready to import lambs from Bulgaria, according to Bulgarian Minster of Agriculture and Foods Miroslav Naydenov. Just Saudi Arabia needs some 5 M animals per year according to Naydenov, who spoke at a lamb producers meeting near the St. Peter and Paul Monastery near Lyaskovets, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

04/05/2012

The Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Foods is planning special measures to promote Bulgarian rose oil and products made from it across the globe. The information was reported Thursday by Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, during his visit to the capital of the country's Rose Valley – the town of Kazanlak, where he officially opened the renovated building of the State Forestry, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

03/05/2012

Bulgaria's Jaspers Action Plan 2012, which has already been approved by the government, includes 35 projects. Of the 35 projects, eight are in the Environment sector, ten in Transport, two in Integrated Urban Transport, one in Economic Development and 14 are horizontal measures, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

02/05/2012

A project company will be established within the next 10 days for the construction of Unit 7 at the country's only existing nuclear power plant in the Danube town of Kozloduy, the country's Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev said Monday, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

27/04/2012

Bulgaria will become the first EU country to receive gas from Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has told Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Borisov and Aliev met in Baku on Thursday. They discussed the two countries' cooperation in various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, IT and trade. Further discussions will take place on Friday, when the Bulgarian delegation's two-day visit to Azerbaijan continues, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

26/04/2012

Chinese investors are interested in the concession of Bulgaria's largest Black Sea port, Port Varna, announced China's Ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E. Guo Yezhou. Ambassador Guo was in Varna Wednesday, where he announced that Chinese companies could participate in the concession of Port Varna, after meeting with Varna Mayor Kiril Yordanov, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

25/04/2012

Bulgaria is the cheapest European holiday destination for Britons, according to a new survey by the Post Office. The survey found that 10 typical holiday items and costs, including a three-course meal out, will cost tourists just 42.79 pounds sterling in Bulgaria, virtually half the price holidaymakers would be expected to pay in Brighton, according to Post Office Travel Money’s latest cost index, The Sofia Echo wrote.

24/04/2012

The construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant would have cost EUR 10.35 B in the best case scenario, according to the estimates of Bulgarian government's consultant for the project, the HSBC bank. "According to the economic analysis of HSBC, the Belene NPP would cost EUR 10.35 B in the most optimistic scenario," announced Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, whose Cabinet in March decided to terminate the project for the construction of the second Bulgarian NPP by the Russian state company Atomstroyexport after delaying its decision for almost three years, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

20/04/2012

Bulgaria's Privatization Agency will table to the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) the paperwork for the sale of the government's 33% minority stake in the CEZ Bulgaria power utility within 1-2 weeks. This has been made clear by Emil Karanikolov, head of the Bulgarian Privatization and Post-Privatization Control Agency, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

19/04/2012

Los Angeles-based Tishman International Companies, a leading international commercial real estate developer, has hosted its second annual "Tenant Appreciation Day" at the Sofia Airport Center (SAC) in Bulgaria. Tishman International's SAC, is a mixed-use commercial development and a Sofia landmark. The SAC property team welcomed their tenant guests to an evening of celebrity entertainment, music, games and refreshments. This years' event was held in one of the offices in the Logistics Center, that was transformed into an entertainment area, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

18/04/2012

Electricity prices will increase by around 10% from July 1, 2012, when the next regulatory period starts, according to Angel Semerdzhiev, Chair of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR). In a Tuesday statement, Semerdzhiev spoke about the forthcoming connection of a 50 MW photovoltaic park located near the southern Bulgarian town of Parvomay to the national grid, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

17/04/2012

More than 100 000 Bulgarian residents have visited Greece in search of more exciting Easter holidays, obviously undisturbed by the economic turmoil in the neighboring country. Traffic through Bulgaria-Greece border checkpoints was record-high during the Easter holidays, the most intensive being at the Kulata and Kapitan Petko Voyvoda, the Bulgarian Border Police announced, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

09/04/2012

Using the state's fuel reserve might be the best option for keeping down fuel prices in Bulgaria, according to Bulgarian Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov. During a visit to Haskovo Saturday, Djankov opposed an idea voiced by cabinet colleague, new Minister of Economy and Energy Delyan Dobrev, who had suggested that Bulgaria could lift the requirement of a biofuel component to alleviate the costs of producers, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.

06/04/2012

The construction of raised crosswalks in Bulgaria's capital Sofia will be launched within a month, according to Bogdan Milchev, head of the city's traffic police. A total of 40 elevated crosswalks are expected to be built soon, Milchev has told reporters, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) wrote.