Bulgaria

Encroachments in Bulgarian forest areas decreased by over 60% in 2024 compared to 2023, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Food; 631.000 inspections were carried out in 2024

In the historic town of Koprivshtitsa, 591 songbirds of a protected species died due to stress caused by fireworks on New Year's Eve, environmentalists from 'Green Balkans' reported

The draft budget for 2025 foresees an increase in funds for education from 4,1% to 4,8% of the country's gross domestic product, +0,7% compared to last year

Foreign direct investment recorded a positive net inflow of €1,24bn in the first nine months of 2024, equivalent to 1,2% of the GDP, according to data from the Bulgarian National Bank, a decrease of 63,3% compared to the same period in 2023

General Bulgarian car fleet shows an ageing trend, with over 70% of the vehicles on the road being over 15 years old, and only 4,6% of cars less than five years old

Belene Island Foundation, an NGO, wants to honour with a memorial the 15.000 people considered enemies of the communist regime who were interned in Persin, many of whom died as a result of forced labour

An additional agreement with Skoda will be signed for the purchase of five new electric trains to expand the railway fleet

In the first half of the year, Sofia recorded a 12% increase in tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year; the number of registered overnight stays also increased by 10%, with almost 60% of foreign visitors

Speeding remains the most common offence, with 302.949 violations recorded in Sofia this year, over 32.000 more than the previous year

An underwater training at 1.000m, with a water temperature of 1°C, was conducted by the Bulgarian military at the Iskar dam focusing on reconnaissance, setting up and passing water fences

In view of the introduction of the euro, the country is upgrading its services and payment systems to align with the new currency, as indicated in the National Plan