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The Balkans
Commission signals patience wearing thin with Bulgaria on recovery plan
Est. 2minThe European Commission is showing signs of losing patience with Bulgaria, which has dragged its feet for more than two years in adopting reforms to continue payments under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
Bulgarian farmers to receive €100 million in state subsidies after protest threat
Est. 2minThe Bulgarian government will give €100 million in state subsidies to local farmers who have threatened new protests over imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, the government announced on Monday.
Key political player in Bulgaria arrested for influence peddling ahead of elections
Est. 3minKey lawmaker Ceyhan Ibramov, who is close to Ahmed Dogan, the founder of Turkish minority party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), has been arrested on charges of influence peddling and accepting money to illegally buy votes.
Romanian Constitutional Court rejects presidential candidacy of far-right MEP
Est. 3minRomania's Constitutional Court rejected far-right MEP Diana Șoșoacă presidential candidacy over the weekend, according to sources suggesting judges found her recent statements incompatible with constitutional values.
Romanian former top NATO official linked to election scandal attacks journalist
Est. 4minMircea Geoană, the former deputy secretary general of NATO, has resorted to disinformation as part of his response to a journalistic investigation exposing links between a former key figure in his informal campaign and a Russian businessman.
Houses of Bulgarian commissioner-designate have MEPs intrigued
Est. 4minTwo houses belonging to commissioner-designate Ekaterina Zaharieva and her husband Angel Zahariev in Bulgaria and Greece have aroused interest among MEPs, Euractiv Bulgaria learned from European Parliament sources.
Romania, Greece, Bulgaria request measures to address higher energy prices
Est. 3minRomania, Greece and Bulgaria have requested several measures to address the consistently higher energy market prices in Eastern Europe compared to Western Europe in recent months.
Bulgaria strengthens security over Middle East crisis
Est. 2minEscalations in the Middle East has Bulgaria stepping up security measures in the areas surrounding Israel's diplomatic mission in Sofia and other locations.
Bulgarian government lacks clear picture of Russian investment in country
Est. 3minBulgaria, which has not yet sanctioned any Russian assets, does not have an accurate picture of the scale and nature of Russian investment in the country's economy, Justice Minister Maria Pavlova said in response to a parliamentary question.
Bulgaria starts full review of its combat aviation
Est. 3minBulgaria is to begin a long-awaited review of the readiness and training of its air force, which has seen several fatalities during combat exercises and demonstration flights in recent years.
Bulgaria happy over EU blockade of North Macedonia accession talks
Est. 3minParliamentary group leaders in Bulgaria have welcomed the EU's decision to open accession talks with Albania and to block North Macedonia until it includes the Bulgarian minority in its constitution.
Romanian PM rejects need to legally protect same-sex couples
Est. 2minRomanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has questioned the need to introduce civil partnerships, saying that LGBTI citizens already enjoy equal rights despite the Strasbourg-based human rights court condemning Romania for failing to protect same-sex couples.
Albania’s EU path decoupled from North Macedonia while Skopje remains in limbo
Est. 3minAlbania's EU accession path will be decoupled from North Macedonia's, with the first clusters of negotiation set to be formally opened on 15 October, according to a unanimous decision of Ambassadors of European Union member states on Wednesday (25 September), the Bulgarian permanent representative spokesperson told Euractiv.
Bulgarian employers oppose government’s minimum wage hike plans
Est. 2minOne of Bulgaria's main employers' organisations said it opposes government plans to raise the minimum wage in one of the EU's poorest countries, arguing that it is already too high.
US grants direct loan to Romania to modernise army, produce artillery ammo
Est. 2minThe United States and Romania signed a $920 million direct Foreign Military Financing (FMF) loan agreement on Wednesday, with Romania to use the funds to modernise its armed forces and boost ammunition production.
Bulgaria expects decision on full Schengen accession by year’s end
Est. 3minThe authorities in Sofia expect a decision on full membership of Bulgaria and Romania in Schengen by the end of the year.
Romania, other member states, seek greater flexibility in implementing recovery plan
Est. 2minRomania is working with other EU member states, such as France, Spain and Italy, to negotiate more flexible rules for the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to ensure the successful absorption of funds and the smooth implementation of projects, said Romania’s Minister for European Investments and Projects Adrian Câciu.
Silence over Kosovo’s stalled Council of Europe bid as France, Italy dig in their heels
Est. 6minAs momentum around Kosovo’s bid to join the Council of Europe stagnates, stakeholders have refused to comment on reports suggesting the process is being hampered by France and Italy, two previously staunch supporters of their accession.
Bulgarian commissioner-designate asked to come clean about her past
Est. 3minEkaterina Zaharieva, the Bulgarian pick for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's Commission, did not answer Euractiv's questions about her past despite reports that she played a controversial role at various times in her capacity as a cabinet minister.
Bulgaria’s GERB threatens ruling party in Skopje with expulsion from EPP
Est. 3minThe ruling VMRO-DPMNE party in northern Macedonia has been threatened with expulsion from the EU centre-right political family (EPP), with Andrey Kovachev, an MEP from Bulgaria's largest party, GERB, accusing it of aggressive rhetoric against Bulgaria.
Romania to boost ammunition acquisition amid border war
Est. 2minRomania is to speed up the procurement of ammunition in response to Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Supreme Council of National Defence (CSAT), chaired by President Klaus Iohannis, decided on Thursday.
Bulgaria’s Borissov calls for North Macedonia’s deputy PM to resign
Est. 2minBoyko Borissov, leader of Bulgaria's largest party, GERB, called for the resignation of Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Nikoloski over his comments about Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Bulgaria, further adding fuel to the ongoing ‘missing flag’ scandal.
Environmental groups call the Brussels-backed Danube project dangerous
Est. 3minDozens of international environmental organisations have declared the European Commission-backed Danube Hydroelectric Project dangerous, which involves the construction of a dam and power plant on the Danube between the Bulgarian town of Nikopol and the Romanian town of Turnu Magurele.
Iohannis asks MPs to OK training of Ukrainian marines on Romanian soil
Est. 2minRomanian President Klaus Iohannis requested parliamentary approval on Wednesday to establish a maritime training facility on Romanian soil to help train Ukrainian marines.