Romania and Bulgaria get the Schengen green light
The internal land borders will be lifted as of January.
๐ง๐ฌ Bulgaria
EU states agree full Schengen accession for Bulgaria and Romania
Bulgaria and Romania are to become full members of the borderless Schengen zone from the start of next year.
Moment of relief as Romania and Bulgaria join EU border-free zone
Seventeen years after joining the EU, the two countries are given the green light to join the Schengen zone.
Romania and Bulgaria to fully join Schengen Area in 2025
After years of debates and opposition, Bucharest and Sofia received the greenlight to join the border-free area.
The post Romania and Bulgaria to fully join Schengen Area in 2025 appeared first on Euractiv.
Romania and Bulgaria are granted full Schengen membership, with one caveat
Romania and Bulgaria will become full-time members of the Schengen Area as of 1 January 2025, completing a process that dates back to 2011, when the European Commission declared both countries ready to join.
Bulgaria, Greece fine-tune details to lift border controls
EU interior ministers are expected today (12 December) to rubber-stamp the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen by land.
The post Bulgaria, Greece fine-tune details to lift border controls appeared first on Euractiv.
Romania and Bulgaria to join EUโs Schengen free movement area
Access comes as both countries face domestic political turmoil and the zone is jeopardised by new border controls
Bulgaria to stop Russian gas transit unless Gazprom pays
“Bulgaria must stop the flow of Russian gas on 20 December.”
The post Bulgaria to stop Russian gas transit unless Gazprom pays appeared first on Euractiv.
Romanian elections spark Bulgarian MPs to investigate Russian influence
Russian interests and propaganda remain a big issue for Bulgaria.
The post Romanian elections spark Bulgarian MPs to investigate Russian influence appeared first on Euractiv.
Bulgarian public healthcare increasingly dependent on private funding
Bulgaria’s pharma industry is calling for an urgent 15 per cent increase in the 2025 pharmaceutical budget. Each year the state budget for medicines runs out earlier.
The post Bulgarian public healthcare increasingly dependent on private funding appear…
Warsaw counts on Rome to block Mercosur deal
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Warsaw counting on Rome to block the EU-Mercosur deal, Bulgaria’s national bank convinced the country will be ready to adopt the euro in January, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria to be euro-ready by January, says countryโs national bank
Pro-European politicians see joining the eurozone and Schengen as geopolitical milestones.
Time to halt Russian pipeline gas imports in Europe
A complete phaseout of Russian pipeline gas would strike a decisive blow against the Kremlinโs economic leverage.
Bulgaria declares Russian billionaire football boss โpersona non grataโ
Bulgarian counter-intelligence services gave no official reason for the ban on the Russian billionaire.
The Brief โ Black Sea turbulence
Bulgaria and Romania not having a government at a time when the outcome of the Ukraine war could discussed is reckless, to say the least.
German centrist parties add support for early revision of CO2 car rules
Countries pushing for an early revision of EU CO2 car rules include Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia and France.
Brussels halts EU recovery plan payment for Bulgaria
Bulgaria is entitled to โฌ5.69 billion in EU grants.
Fighting disinformation is a daily struggle, former EU commissioner Mariya Gabriel says
Social media platforms play an increasingly important role in election campaigns, as the first round of the Romanian presidential election โ in which a NATO-sceptic populist came out on top โ amply demonstrates. Our guest is Mariya Gabriel, a former E…
Bulgaria spearheads COP29 initiative to bring down electricity prices
Energy ministers from seven EU countries have backed the initiative.
Bulgariaโs infrastructure not ready to use new F-16 jets
The infrastructure at the Graf Ignatievo airbase, where the F-16 jets are to be deployed, is not yet ready.
Bulgarian pharma market gained post-pandemic boost, according to new analysis
Bulgaria’s pharmaceuticals market experienced significant growth in 2023, with sales increasing 14.7% to โฌ2.7 billion and oncology therapies leading in the hospital drug sales category.
No Place for You in Our Town review โ uncomfortably up close with Bulgarian football hooligans
Nikolay Stefanovโs documentary, which follows fans of FC Minyor Pernik, reveals much about what is behind this toxic masculinityIn the Bulgarian mining town of Pernik, a weekend football match is not for the faint of heart. Dressed in the black and yel…
Austria may lift veto preventing Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen
Austria may lift veto preventing Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen
ECR official calls Meloni Trumpโs โnatural interlocutorโ in Europe
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Bulgaria being unaware of a possible Russian deal for the largest refinery in Balkans, Poland’s foreign minister confident Poland will lead EU policymaking following Trump win, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria unaware of possible Russian deal for the largest refinery in Balkans
The government should see how the sale would affect the fuel market in Bulgaria.
Bulgarian court case sheds light on hospital infections cover-up
A patient left nearly blind after hospital-acquired infection, following eye surgery, sued the largest hospital in the Bulgarian city of Pleven for โฌ20,000 in damages – but she wasn’t the only one to be infected that day.
Borissov ready to sacrifice the premiership in Bulgaria
Bulgaria could be heading for its 8th general election in three years by February 2025.
Intelligence sharing at EU level unrealistic, says Czech PM
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Bulgaria starting the construction of an โirreversibleโ nuclear project, Slovak opposition parties slamming Ficoโs โstrategic partnershipโ with China, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria starts constructing an โirreversibleโ nuclear project with US reactors
The new deal makes the nuclear project irreversible.
EU fraud busters probe scheme to relabel banned Russian oil
The probe comes after POLITICO revealed that Moscow’s fuel was likely being rebranded in Turkey before heading to the EU.
Sergey Lavrov to visit Malta next month, Russian media reports
Russia’s foreign minister is expected to travel to Malta for an OSCE meeting in December.
Zelenskyy criticises Poland for failing on military aid and defence front
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about vote buying in Bulgaria, Zelenskyy criticising Poland for failing to deliver on military aid, and so much more.ย
EU-Turkish border exposes hell of animal transport
As the European Commission tries to update its decades-old rules, lawmakers are turning the issue into a political battleground.
Bulgaria reports 27% increase in antibiotic use, leading to fears of rising AMR deaths
Bulgaria is risking an increase in deaths directly or indirectly caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, following a 27% rise in antibiotic use over the past five years.
Vote-buying allegations rock Bulgaria as protests escalate
Oligarch’s new party snagged 11 percent of the vote, but protesters are crying foul.
Bulgariaโs state health system failing pregnant and vulnerable women
Bulgaria’s inefficient state healthcare system is failing to provide care for pregnant women who cannot pay health insurance, according to a reportย by the Bulgarian National Audit Office.
Lithuanian election winner promises to bolster defence to counter Russia threat
Social Democrat leader says spending should be no less than partyโs election manifesto pledge of 3.5% of GDPLithuaniaโs opposition Social Democratic party has promised to spend โas much money as is neededโ on security and defence to counter a potential…
Borissov wins Bulgarian elections as vote in favour of populists surge
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about the outcome of the snap election in Bulgaria, hackers breaching sensitive government data in Italy, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria’s centre right GERB leads in snap elections, falls short of majority
Bulgariaโs conservative GERB party, led by ex-premier Boyko Borisov, claimed around 25% of votes in the country’s seventh election in four years, early results show. Analysts warn of persistent uncertainty due to lack of a clear majority, leaving Bulg…
Listless Bulgarian voters turn back to Borissov as political stalemate continues
In the country’s seventh election since 2021, voter participation remained low.
Bulgaria election unlikely to resolve political impasse, exit polls suggest
Repeated failure of any party to command majority has slowed EU integration and enabled rise of pro-Russian parties
Bulgaria votes in seventh election after three years of deadlock
Six consecutive votes have so far failed to yield a stable government, as the political turmoil has favored the country’s far right.
Worldโs cartoonists on this weekโs events
Drawing the top stories around the globe.
Pro-Russia parties gain ground in Bulgaria ahead of elections
Political fragmentation in EU and Nato member plays to Moscowโs advantage
Bulgaria heads to the polls for the seventh time in three years
Bulgaria heads to the polls for the seventh time in three years
The future EU commissionersโ promises: Everything you need to know
We pored over more than 400 pages of written answers so you donโt have to.
Bulgaria subsidises coal plants with โฌ1.3 billion
In the first three months of 2024, Maritsa East’s profits fell by as much as 95% year-on-year.
EU props up โฌ90B investors club to plug tech funding gap
The “trusted” network includes 71 members.
Early elections wonโt solve Bulgariaโs political crisis, analysts warn
62% of Bulgarians do not believe the elections will be fair.
Serbiaโs President thanks Putin for natural gas supplies
Serbia, officially a candidate to join the EU, has historically strong ties with Russia and continues to rely on Russian gas.
Meloniโs no-show at Berlin summit raises concerns over Italyโs global role
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about foreign investment in Bulgaria seeing a sharp drop, Poland’s Tusk saying EU countries understand his governmentโs stance on asylum, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria suffers sharp drop in foreign investment
The amount has fallen from the billions to the hundreds of millions.
Bulgaria key to stopping Russian gas to Europe, expert says
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Czechia sending a new ambassador to Moscow amid frozen relations, Sweden deciding to boost its military defence by almost a third by 2030, and so much more.ย
Germany confident that the EU-North Macedonia spat would be resolved after Bulgariaโs vote
Germany hopes to find ‘rational solutions’ with Bulgaria’s new government.
Bulgaria key to stopping Russian gas to Europe, expert says
“Bulgaria is the key to stopping Russian Gas.”
Polandโs PiS wants national referendum on EU migration pact
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Polandโs PiS wants national referendum on EU migration pact, Bulgaria not being an unconditional supporter of the Western Balkans’ EU integration , and so much more.ย
Bulgaria not an unconditional supporter of Western Balkansโ EU integration
The Bulgarian and Macedonian dispute continues to simmer.
Albania-EU membership talks to kick off with corruption, checks and balances
Join host Giada Santana and senior editor Alice Taylor in unpacking the start of Albania’s EU membership negotiations.
โSafe countries of originโ in asylum law: the CJEU first interprets the concept
Professor Steve Peers, Royal
Holloway University of London
Photo credit: viewsridge,
via Wikimedia
commons
Introduction
Along with judgments on Afghan
women asylum seekers (discussed here)
and the status of Turkey as a โsafe third coun…
Worldโs cartoonists on this weekโs events
Drawing the top stories around the globe.
Bulgarian authorities under fire for air pollution cover-up
Bulgaria already has two EU court rulings against it for air pollution.
The EU is helping Turkey forcibly deport migrants to Syria and Afghanistan
European taxpayers finance ill-treatment and forced expulsion, an investigation found.
Bulgarian pharmacists oppose state-funded medicine vending machines, threaten protests
Bulgarian pharmacists say they are ready to start protests if parliament passes a bill for state-funded vending machines selling medicines in towns without pharmacies.
โScandalousโ election campaign in Bulgaria brought to attention of EU institutions
Kyuchyuk said Peevski aims to โreloadโ his power to continue to control the country’s democratic institutions.ย
Commission signals patience wearing thin with Bulgaria on recovery plan
The 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.
Bulgaria pitches fast domestic authorisation of innovative drugs to attract pharma firms
Bulgaria will rely on the speed and efficiency of its domestic authorisation procedures for innovative drug therapies to attract the interest of pharma companies to its small domestic market, the Ministry of Health told Euractiv.
Romania and Bulgariaโs Schengen accession: A step towards European unity [Promoted content]
Romania and Bulgariaโs full accession to the Schengen Area in 2024 would not only bring economic benefits but also strengthen European solidarity and unity, marking a strong start for the European Commission in its new mandate.
EUโs top court scraps controversial truck return obligation
The rulings ends a very bitter dispute that split EU member countries.
Houses of Bulgarian commissioner-designate have MEPs intrigued
Two 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.
How a law on truck movements divided the EU
The EU’s top court delivers a ruling on an exceptionally fierce legal fight this week.
The EUโs most pointless job
Josep Borrell loves to condemn things โ sometimes in the “strongest possible terms.” Does it ever have any impact?
Leaked documents: Which EU commissioners have the most property, money and influence
POLITICO has reviewed the declarations of interest of every European Commission nominee.
Romania, Greece, Bulgaria request measures to address higher energy prices
Romania, 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
Escalations 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
Bulgaria, 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 sees 30% increase in HPV vaccination after fight against anti-vax propaganda
Bulgaria recorded a 30% increase in the number of girls vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) in 2024, compared to last year – according to data released by the Ministry of Health. However, more is needed.
Bulgaria starts full review of its combat aviation
Bulgaria 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 risks losing billions in recovery money as parliamentary chaos ensues.
The Bulgarian parliament was set to adopt the European Commission’s long-awaited changes to the Climate Neutrality Roadmap. However, MPs from the pro-Russian Revival party forcibly occupied the rostrum and tore out cables from the sound system.
Orbรกn accuses Brussels of denting North Macedoniaโs pride after further EU bid delay
Orbรกn also offered to mediate with EU member Bulgaria, whose dispute with Skopje over Balkan history and heritage triggered the new delay.
North Macedonia hits out at Brussels, says EU accession like ‘Waiting for Godot’
Both North Macedonia’s president and prime minister slammed stumbling blocks put in place by Brussels over a dispute with Bulgaria over Balkan history, language and culture.
Bulgarian employers oppose governmentโs minimum wage hike plans
One 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.
Bulgaria expects decision on full Schengen accession by yearโs end
The authorities in Sofia expect a decision on full membership of Bulgaria and Romania in Schengen by the end of the year.
Bulgarian courts overturn healthcareโs spartan financial regulations [Advocacy Lab Content]
Two key decisions by Bulgarian courts have altered the hospital finance model, abolishing strict limits that often became an obstacle to providing quality medical care in one of the poorest EU countries.
EU member states struggle to implement human rights rulings, report finds
EU member states have consistently failed to implement rulings from both the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), a report finds.
Bulgariaโs GERB threatens ruling party in Skopje with expulsion from EPP
The 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.
Bulgaria says it didnโt make the exploding pagers
Authorities found “beyond doubt” that pagers were not made or exported in Bulgaria, government says.
Hunt for origins of Lebanon pager attack widens to Bulgaria, Norway
Bulgaria and Norway became new focal points on Thursday (19 September) of a global hunt for who supplied Hezbollah with the thousands of pagers that exploded in Lebanon this week in a deadly blow to the militant group.
Bulgariaโs Borissov calls for North Macedoniaโs deputy PM to resign
Boyko 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 โmissi…
The 5 commissioners most likely to get the chop
Once every five years the European Parliament gets to pick off a nominee or two โ and rarely fails to do so.
The winners and losers of the new European Commission
What the portfolios tell us about the EUโs power dynamics.
Meet the commissioners: Class of 2024
Everything you need to know about Ursula von der Leyen’s team for her second term.
Ursula von der Leyenโs new European Commission
Commission president hands out the top jobs in her new team.
The Red Sea: Time for Indiaโs Modi to step in
Nothing the West says or does will convince the Houthis to halt their campaign. But the Indian prime minister is perfectly suited to the task.
Bulgaria seizes โฌ5 million worth of gold on border with Turkey
Bulgaria, being a key transit point for drugs traveling from the Middle East to Western Europe, has ramped up its efforts in recent years to combat drug trafficking and smuggling.
The rise of frozen democracies is bad news
Bulgaria is suffering from political long Covid โ and the rest of Europe is at risk
Romania to seek EU compensation for East-West energy price gap
Romania will ask the Council for compensation for the much higher energy prices in its region compared to Western Europe, Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said on Thursday, confirming that his country had joined forces with Greece and Bulgaria.
Bulgarian president lobbies for large-scale Chinese business expansion in country
President Rumen Radev on Thursday insisted on the establishment of a direct flight between Sofia and Beijing and the opening of a Chinese bank branch to boost business ties between the two countries.
Bulgaria gives Ukraine more time to buy its Russia-made nuclear reactors
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Bulgaria giving Ukraine more time to buy its Russia-made nuclear reactors, Berlin eyeing the rollback of its liberalised power market, and so much more.ย
Bulgaria gives Ukraine more time to buy its Russia-made nuclear reactors
The Bulgarian parliament has decided to extend the deadline given to the government to negotiate the sale of two Russian nuclear reactors and related equipment to Ukraine by six months.ย
Bulgarian Revival MPs table bill for โRussia-styleโ foreign agents law
Bulgaria’s pro-Russian radical party Revival has presented parliament with its proposal for a bill on foreign agents, which Euractiv Bulgaria found copies the controversial Russian law.