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Bulgaria
Minister Gutsanov: There Must Be an Equal Start for All Children
"There is nothing more important than children. There must be an equal start for all children and for this we must work with all institutions," said Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov on Friday at the launch of a global campaign aimed at the right of every child to grow up in a family environment, quoted in a statement of the ministry
202,810 Violations Found by General Labour Inspectorate in 2024
In 2024, the General Labour Inspectorate Executive Agency conducted 49,858 inspections in 41,863 enterprises with 1,755,669 employees, the Inspectorate’s press centre said.
Heads of BDZ Cargo Ltd, National Railway Infrastructure Company Resign after Freight Train Collision near Sofia
BDZ Cargo Ltd Hristiyan Krastev and National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) Director General Stoyan Stoyanov have resigned and Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadzhov has accepted their resignations, the Ministry's press office told BTA here on Friday.
The Weather on January 18-19
Mostly sunny. Foggy in some places of Southern Bulgaria. Light to moderate west-northwesterly wind will blow across northern Bulgaria. Highs: between 5C and 10C, in some areas of Northern Bulgaria up to 12C - 13C, and in places with persistent fog
Economy
Sofia's Transport Companies End 2024 with BGN 22.7 Mln in Profits
This provides the necessary financial means to improve working conditions at the depots, carry out the repairs and significantly improve the working environment for its employees without the need for an additional loan from the city.
Balance of Goods Records EUR 764.2 Deficit in November
According to central bank data, the balance on goods recorded a deficit of EUR 764.2 million in November 2024, compared with a negative balance of EUR 609.3 million in November 2023.
Eurostat December Inflation Up Increases to 2.4% in Euro Area, 2.7% in EU Y/Y
The euro area annual inflation rate was 2.4% in December 2024, up from 2.2% in November, according to data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9%. The European Union annual inflation was 2.7% in December 2024, up from 2.5% in November. A year earlier, the rate was 3.4%. In Bulgaria, annual inflation in December 2024 was 2.1%, up from 1.8% in November.
EU, Bulgaria See Record Number of Tourism Nights in 2024 - Eurostat
In 2024, the number of nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments in Bulgaria was up by 3% compared to the previous year, according to Eurostat data made public on Friday.
Culture
BTA Partners with Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences to Spotlight Bulgaria’s Top Talent
The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) signed a media partnership agreement with the Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences (AOTNS) on Friday. The agreement was signed by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and Deputy Chair of the AOTNS Board Elena Marinova, with AOTNS Executive Director Valkan Goranov and the leader of the National Artificial Intelligence Team Yoan Salambashev also attending.
Sofia MENAR Film Festival Opens with Award-Winning Middle Eastern Cinema
The 17th edition of the Sofia MENAR Film Festival kicks off on Friday with the screening of Inshallah a Boy, a film from Jordan, the film festival organizers Pozor announced.
Stefka Aroyo Displays 19 New Paintings
An exhibition, "The Sea, Holidays, Dances", by Stefka Aroyo will open on January 23 at the Union of Bulgarian Artists Gallery. The exhibition will on February 8, organizers say. The team says that a long-awaited and cherished meeting with one of her
UPDATED Culture Minister Bachev Takes Office, Outgoing Minister Todorov Reports on Goals Achieved by Ministry
Caretaker Culture Minister Nayden Todorov reported on the goals achieved at the Ministry of Culture in the period between April 9, 2024 and January 16, 2025), the press centre of the Ministry said on Thursday.
Balkans
Workers in Key North Macedonia Ministries Call for 30% Pay Raise, Fair Bargaining
Employees from the Ministries of Culture, Environment, European Affairs, Digital Transformation, Transport and Communications, and Economy, as well as those working in the State Statistical Office and the State Archive of North Macedonia, are holding a protest on Tuesday, calling for a 30% salary increase and the signing of a collective bargaining agreement.
Pro-Kurdish Mayor Arrested in Southern Turkiye
A pro-Kurdish mayor and five municipal council members from the DEM party were arrested on Friday in Mersin, Southern Turkiye, on charges of propaganda for a terrorist organisation, Anadolu Agency reported.
Smuggled Gold Jewelry Worth over BGN 60,000 Found in Passenger's Underwear at Border with Turkiye
Five packages with a total of 532 grammes of smuggled gold jewelry worth over BGN 60,000 were found by customs officers at the Malko Tarnovo border checkpoint during an inspection of a passenger car with Bulgarian registration entering the country from Turkiye, the Customs Agency said on Friday. Four of the packages were hidden in the upper underwear of a passenger in the car, and the fifth package was hidden in a pocket of clothes.
North Macedonia's SDSM Condemns Position of Vazrazhdane Party Leader Kostadin Kostadinov
The leader of the North Macedonian opposition party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), Venko Filipce, condemned the statements made by the leader of the Bulgarian party Vazrazhdane, Kostadin Kostadinov, and called for a response from Sofia and the European Union, SDSM said on Thursday.