Новости за 21.05.2025

Bulgaria will see a mix of sun and instability on May 22. The day will start mostly sunny, but as the hours progress, cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds will form. Around midday and into the afternoon, many areas will experience brief periods of rain, with thunderstorms expected in several regions....

Former footballer Georgi Semerdzhiev has received a final sentence of 20 years in prison for causing a devastating car crash in Sofia in July 2022 that claimed the lives of two young women. The ruling, issued by the Sofia Court of Appeal, is final and upholds the verdict handed down by the Sofia City Court in March 2023. The fatal crash occurred late in the evening on July 5, 2022, on Cherni Vrah Boulevard, one of the capital's busiest thoroughfares....

The government has approved a budget of 9.5 million leva for Bulgarian Posts to support preparations for the switch from the lev to the euro. This funding will be used by post offices to acquire banknote counting machines, devices for detecting counterfeit currency, and other necessary equipment. ...

The Russian Foreign Ministry has launched a sharp attack against Bulgarian institutions, accusing them of launching a targeted campaign against Russian language teachers, students, and non-governmental organizations deemed “friendly to Russia.” The statements were delivered by the ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova during a lengthy briefing in Moscow, following a series of reports made by BG Elves and Maya Dimitrova from the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that brought to light the involvement... Читать дальше...

The European Union has moved to review Article 2 of its Association Agreement with Israel, signed in 2000, in response to growing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The clause in question requires both parties to respect human rights and democratic principles - values the EU says are under threat in the context of the ongoing war. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the EU stressed that humanitarian principles must be applied universally, across all conflict zones....

A significant leak has exposed details about who is receiving payments for Russian propaganda activities in Bulgaria, OFFNews reported. Danish public broadcaster DR obtained a massive trove of documents - over 49,000 emails and more than 22,000 files - from a confidential source tied to a Russian state-backed group called the Fund for Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, commonly known as Pravfond. The investigative outlet BIRD....

100 Days of Donald Trump. 100 days during which the foundations of the American rule of law and independent institutions have been challenged like never before. So, what's going on in the so-called land of the free? How much damage is President Trump - and his "Make America Great Again" movement - doing to democracy? Is the U....

GERB leader Boyko Borissov has revealed that during his recent visit to Istanbul, he raised the issue of the gas transmission contract with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Borissov urged Erdogan to work toward mutually beneficial terms that would allow the agreement with Botas to be canceled. According to Borissov, he warned his Turkish counterparts that if Ankara does not show goodwill in resolving the issue, Bulgaria will consider the principles of good neighborly relations to be breached....

Students from the "Tsar Simeon the Great" school in the village of Ivanyane, near Sofia, extended a heartfelt gesture by raising funds to help five young people seriously injured in the recent tragedy in Kocani, North Macedonia. The students collected 2,550 euros during their traditional Easter charity bazaar - a cause they personally selected in response to the devastating incident. The donation was officially handed over at the "St....

Bulgarian police apprehended a group of migrants on Sofia’s "Tsarigradsko Shose" Blvd. following a high-speed chase that ended in a crash. The incident occurred around 10:10 a....

The "Podkrepa" Confederation of Labor has voiced strong opposition to the Bulgarian government’s plans to relax rules on hiring workers from third countries. A key proposal under discussion is to increase the quota for foreign employees in Bulgarian companies. These measures were outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadjov during a debate hosted by the National Tourism Board and the Bulgarian Industrial Chamber, focusing on improving access to foreign labor. ...

Delyan Peevski, leader of the “DPS - New Beginning” party urged the so-called “poodles” to stop justifying themselves over a sum of 15 million leva. Speaking outside the National Assembly, he insisted the government in Bulgaria is stable and working, emphasizing that there will be no elections soon. Peevski expressed confusion over the current political noise, noting that the country is not in an election campaign....

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov sharply criticized the contract Bulgaria signed with the Turkish gas company Botas, calling it a major burden that has brought Bulgargaz to its knees, BGNES reported. According to Stankov, Bulgaria is currently paying 1.05 million leva daily for gas capacity that is largely unused, with this amount expected to rise to 1....

Romanian nationalist politician George Simion, who lost the second round of Romania’s presidential election, announced his intention to challenge the result in the Constitutional Court. Simion alleges that the vote was influenced by foreign interference, which, he claims, undermines the integrity of the electoral process. In a post on "X", Simion referenced "the same reasons" that led to the annulment of last year’s presidential election, invoking the precedent set by the court in December....

GERB leader Boyko Borissov commented from Parliament that the issue with Sofia’s public transport had been resolved just in time, as there was a real risk it could have disrupted students' matriculation exams. He clarified that if Mayor Vassil Terziev does not intend to make use of the government-provided funds, he should return them to the Ministry of Finance. Borissov firmly denied any claims that GERB had played a role in triggering the capital’s recent transport crisis....

U.S. President Donald Trump is resisting the imposition of new sanctions on Russia, arguing they could harm future economic opportunities between Washington and Moscow, The New York Times reported, citing a senior White House official familiar with the matter. ...

On May 21, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marks the feast day of St.St. Constantine and Helena - an event with deep religious and cultural significance....

US President Donald Trump has unveiled new specifics about his administration's ambitious missile defence initiative, dubbed the "Golden Dome." Speaking from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said the system - expected to cost USD 175 billion - will be completed in less than three years and fully functional before the end of his second presidential term. The Hill reported that the defence architecture has been finalised and will be overseen by General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations. Читать дальше...

In the village of Ristovac near Vranja in southeastern Serbia, a ceremony was recently held in remembrance of what is referred to locally as the “Bulgarian atrocities” of 1917. The event, organized by the Vlach community and attended by military representatives, marked the 108th anniversary of the so-called "Ristovac massacre", BGNES reported. During the commemoration, wreaths and flowers were laid at the monument dedicated to those who died in the wars between 1912 and 1918....

In a world increasingly defined by unpredictability, structural shifts are replacing what once were seen as passing disturbances. Geopolitical tensions are intensifying, trade relations are being reshaped by political motives, and financial sanctions have become more focused and frequent. According to Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev, this new reality demands a strategic rethink....