Bulgaria

Photo Story: Icy river dip for Epiphany celebrations in Bulgaria

Men jump into the icy water of a lake to recover a wooden cross during celebrations of Epiphany Day in Sofia, Bulgaria, 06 January 2021. The swimmers competed to find…

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Russia expels Bulgarian diplomat in tit-for-tat move

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Monday declared a Bulgarian diplomat persona non grata in a tit-for-tat move after the expulsion of a Russian diplomat by Sofia. Bulgarian authorities earlier this month…

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Bulgaria expects COVID-19 vaccinations to start December 27

Bulgaria plans to start vaccinations against COVID-19 on Dec. 27 in three of its main cities, chief health inspector Angel Kunchev said. Along with other European Union members, Bulgaria has…

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Bulgaria expects COVID-19 vaccinations to start Dec. 27

SOFIA, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Bulgaria plans to start vaccinations against COVID-19 on Dec. 27 in three of its main cities, chief health inspector Angel Kunchev said on Sunday. Along…

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Photo Story: Bulgarians prepare to celebrate St. Nicholas

People look at fresh fish for sale at an open-air fish market in Sofia, Bulgaria. Bulgaria celebrates on 06 December Saint Nicholas, patron of fishermen, sailors and bankers. Traditional fish-based…

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Bulgaria prepares for COVID-19 vaccines as death rates spike

Bulgaria announced plans to vaccinate people against the coronavirus free of charge once it has procured vaccine doses, and said it would start with doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists. Under…

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Bulgarian doctors exhausted as COVID deaths hit record

With coronavirus death rates surging to record levels in Bulgaria, doctors and nurses in a health service already weakened by decades of emigration to the West say they are exhausted.…

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Bulgaria blocks EU accession talks with North Macedonia

Bulgaria has refused to approve the European Union's negotiation framework for North Macedonia, effectively blocking the official start of accession talks with its smaller Balkan neighbour, its foreign minister said…

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Bulgaria to block EU accession talks with North Macedonia

Bulgaria plans to voice its opposition on Tuesday to starting European Union accession talks with neighbouring North Macedonia as the two countries have yet to settle disputes over history and…

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Bulgaria says North Macedonia must address historical issues or face delay on EU path

Bulgaria has threatened to block North Macedonia’s path towards European Union membership and said it should recognise that both its national identity and language have Bulgarian roots, its foreign minister…

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Bulgaria shuts high schools, nightclubs as COVID cases surge

Bulgaria is closing nightclubs and discos and students from high schools and universities will study online for two weeks as of Oct. 29 as it grapples to contain a surge…

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Bulgaria to allow schools to teach online as COVID cases surge

Bulgarian schools will be allowed to switch to online studies, the education ministry said on Monday, as the Balkan country struggles to contain a new surge in coronavirus infections. Bulgaria,…

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Bulgarian PM tests positive for coronavirus

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Sunday he had a "general malaise" after testing positive for coronavirus and would stay at home for now for any treatment, as recommended…

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Sofia to shut down nighclubs in bid to control infections’ surge

Bulgaria capital Sofia has announced the closure of discos and nightclubs as from tomorrow, in an effort to contain a surge in coronavirus infections straining its health system. The city's hospital,…

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Bulgaria makes masks obligatory in public as new COVID-19 cases surge

Bulgaria will make wearing protective masks obligatory in all outdoor spaces from Thursday, as coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours hit a new record, its health minister announced. Kostadin…

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Covid-19 cases in Bulgaria continue increasing

Bulgaria reported 785 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, setting a daily record for a fourth time in a week as infections keep rising, official data showed. The Balkan country now…

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Coronavirus cases in Bulgaria have hit new daily high record

Bulgaria has reported 516 new coronavirus cases of coronavirus - the third day in a row it has beaten its own record since the start of the pandemic in March,…

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Bulgaria reports national one-day case record

Bulgaria reported a daily record of 437 coronavirus cases on Thursday, as the country grapples with a rising number of infections, data from the national information platform on the disease…

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Bulgaria registers record high of COVID-19 cases

Bulgaria registered a record high 436 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, data from the national information platform on the disease showed on Wednesday.A total of 22,306 COVID-19 cases…

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Bulgaria asks EU to stop ‘fake’ Macedonian identity

A long-simmering historical dispute between two Balkan neighbors is about to enter the corridors of Brussels again as North Macedonia expects an official start to the EU accession negotiation process…

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Jourova faces criticism on muted response to Bulgaria’s rule of law failings

EU Values and Transparency Commissioner Věra Jourová on Thursday had to defend herself against robust criticism from MEPs who pressed Brussels to account for its muted response to Bulgaria’s rule of…

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Photo Story: Аnti-government protests continue in Bulgaria

A man holds national flag during an anti-government protest held in front of the Parliament building in Sofia, Bulgaria, 10 September 2020. Hundreds of demonstrators once again gathered in the…

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Bulgarian ruling party vows to stay in power after violent protests

Bulgaria’s coalition government will not bend to pressure and resign after one of the largest anti-government protests in the past two months turned violent, a senior member of the ruling…

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Scuffles during anti-government protests in Bulgaria

Thousands of Bulgarians rallied in front of the parliament in Sofia on Wednesday in one of the biggest protests so far in two months of demonstrations calling for the resignation…

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Borissov to face new pressure from Bulgarians

Boyko Borissov’s premiership faces a major test on Wednesday when mass protests are planned across Bulgaria amid a corruption crisis that is starting to trigger concern in Berlin and Brussels.…

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Bulgarian Justice minister resigns as anti-government protests continue

Bulgarian Justice Minister Danail Kirilov has tendered his resignation after "a conversation" with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, the Bulgarian government said in a statement on August 26.The reshuffle was expected…

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Bulgaria’s PM says ready to resign

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Friday he would resign if parliament approves his plans to call elections for a grand national assembly to change the constitution. Borissov says…

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Bulgarians block central Sofia in anti-government protest

Protesters set up tents on a major crossroad and in front of the government building on Thursday, vowing to keep the center of the Bulgarian capital blocked until the government…

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UPDATED: Pipeline rupture halts gas flows from Bulgaria to Greece

A rupture in a pipeline in southwest Bulgaria on Monday halted the transit of Russian natural gas through Bulgaria to Greece, the head state gas company Bulgartransgaz said. Vladimir Malinov…

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Photo Story: COVID-19 testing amid rising cases in Bulgaria

People wait in line to be tested for COVID-19 at Pirogov hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria, 24 July 2020. Bulgaria’s Chief State Health Inspector declared on 24 July that the country…

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UPDATED: Bulgaria says top official who attended EU summit tested positive for COVID-19

The head of the political office of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Denitsa Zheleva, who had tested positive for coronavirus late on Thursday, was on the Balkan country's team at…

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Bulgaria parliament approves govt reshuffle amid protests

Bulgaria's parliament on Friday appointed Kiril Ananiev as the new finance minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, in a reshuffle following a wave of anti-corruption protests in…

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Bulgarian PM overhauls government to quell protests

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov replaced his finance and other ministers on Thursday in a reshuffle designed to quell a wave of anti-corruption protests that have called for his resignation.…

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Bulgaria signs concession deal for Sofia Airport

Bulgaria's transport ministry on Wednesday signed a deal with a consortium led by asset manager Meridiam to run and operate Sofia Airport, the Balkan country's main air transport hub, for…

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ECB calls on Croatia, Bulgaria to do more before joining euro

Bulgaria and Croatia still have work to do in fixing their economies and improving their institutions before joining the euro, European Central Bank board member Fabio Panetta said today. The reforms undertaken…

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Bulgaria’s president calls on ‘mafia’-style government to resign

Bulgarian President Ruman Radev urged for the country's center-right government to step down on Saturday, accusing them of corruption and of having a "mafia character." In a nationally televised speech,…

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Bulgaria and Croatia enter last phase pre-Euro zone membership

Bulgaria and Croatia took a big step toward adopting the euro currency, potentially becoming the newest members to the bloc after years of economic crises and shocks. The European Central…

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Bulgaria introduces restrictions as coronavirus cases surge

Bulgarian night clubs and indoor discos will close, spectators will be banned at all sports events and public gatherings will be limited to 30 people as new cases of the…

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Bulgaria to extend coronavirus state of emergency until mid-July

Bulgaria will extend a state of emergency declared in response to the coronavirus outbreak until July 15 after another jump in new registered cases, Health Minister Kiril Ananiev said on…

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Spain’s Repsol transfers its exploration rights for oil and gas off Bulgarian coast

Bulgaria has granted Spain's Repsol permission to transfer 30% of the rights to explore a block off its Black Sea coastline for gas and oil to the other two rights…

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Bulgaria reduces VAT for restaurants and catering services

Bulgaria's parliament on Wednesday approved government plans to cut value added tax (VAT) on food provided by restaurants and catering services to 9% from 20% from July to help an…

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Bulgaria extends epidemic emergency until end of June

Bulgaria will extend an epidemic emergency until the end of June to fight the spread of the coronavirus after an increase in new registered cases, mainly in the south, Prime…

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Bulgaria to end quarantine on travel from most of EU but not Malta

Bulgaria will lift an obligatory 14-day quarantine from June 1 for travellers from most European Union countries, but not those states with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks, the government announced on…

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Bulgaria to reopen restaurants, bars and cafes on June 1

Bulgaria will allow restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen at full capacity on Monday as the Balkan country further eased restrictions imposed in mid-March to stop the spread of the…

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Bulgaria to allow entry of citizens from EU, Schengen countries

Bulgaria, which has started to ease its lockdown, has scrapped a ban on the entry of visitors from the European Union and Schengen visa zone countries, the health ministry said…

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Bulgaria declares coronavirus emergency until June 14

Bulgaria’s government on Wednesday declared an epidemic emergency until June 14, allowing the health minister to extend restrictions aimed at containing the coronavirus outbreak. The measure replaces a state of…

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Dramatic increase in cases in Bulgaria

Bulgaria said on Wednesday it had 1,015 confirmed cases of Covid-19, up from 975 the day before. Although cases have been gradually increasing for more than a month, the health…

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Bulgarian capital Sofia sealed off

The Bulgarian capital Sofia will be sealed off from Friday to contain the spread of the new coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases jumped in the past two days,…

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Truckers blocked on border between Bulgaria and Turkey

A column of waiting trucks wanting to cross the border between Bulgaria and Turkey, in the village of Kapitan Andreevo, Bulgaria, 25 March 2020. A record number of drivers and…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Sofia, Bulgaria

A woman clears her car from the snow in Sofia, Bulgaria. Bulgarian authorities have declared a ban on intercity travel around the country in an effort to slow down the…

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Bulgaria approves amended state of emergency law after President’s veto

Bulgaria’s parliament agreed on Monday to cancel some parts of a law that establishes a state of emergency to limit the spread of the coronavirus after the president wielded his veto…

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Bulgaria declares state of emergency over coronavirus

The Bulgarian parliament voted unanimously on Friday to declare a state of emergency until April 13 to contain the spread of coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases in the…

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Bulgarian PM denies links to suspected money-laundering scheme in Barcelona

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has denied links to a suspected money-laundering scheme based in Barcelona. He issued the denial after a Barcelona-based newspaper published a front-page report on Friday…

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Photo Story: Traditional Honey Day mass in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Orthodox faithful light candles attached to jars of honey during a holy mass for the 'sanctification of honey' at the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin church in the town…

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Huge operation against illegal IPTV distributors in Bulgaria

Europol supported a massive crackdown on illegal IPTV distributors in an operation executed by the Cybercrime Unit of the Bulgarian General Directorate Combating Organised Crime of the Ministry of Interior…

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Photo Story: Bulgarian Vespa Club Christmas gathering

Motorcyclists wearing Santa Claus outfits ride their 'Vespa' mopeds past the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral during a Bulgarian Vespa Club gathering in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 21 December 2109. Photos: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV…

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Cartoon exhibition on Brexit opens in Bulgaria

A picture shows art works from the cartoon exhibition 'Brexit Forever' organized by the Union of Bulgarian Artists, in Sofia, Bulgaria. In addition to works by Bulgarian authors, the exhibition…

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