Bulgaria

Von der Leyen’s trip to Bulgaria included a visit to state-owned weapons plant in Sopot, where expansion is planned for a thousand new workplaces; as she praised aid given to Ukraine’s defence, supporters of Revival and Greatness party staged a protest

Political chaos has created a media vacuum in which citizens are vulnerable to disinformation and Kremlin-led narratives proliferate; with highest rate of news avoidance and lowest media literacy in Europe, a better enforcement of existing rules is needed

A sharp rise in counterfeit banknotes circulating has been registered, with the second quarter of 2025 seeing a record of fakes circulating, especially in the 100 leva bills, as Bulgaria stands on the verge of adopting the euro

Admirers of traditional Bulgarian carpet craftsmanship gathered for the "Iglika Kilim Fest," a celebration that turned the local meadows into an open-air museum of kilim, antique hand-woven rugs; 965 rugs were displayed across a ten-acre area

Centrist, anti-corruption political party We Continue the Change is facing unprecedented challenges, with its key figures targeted by institutions, potentially leaving pro-Russian nationalists as the only ‘opposition’ left in Bulgaria

Young healthcare professionals protesting for higher pay could easily be replaced by foreign medics 'happy to work for $500 a month', said MP Toshko Yordanov, sparking controversy and drawing criticism

18th Sofia Pride was held in Knyaz Alexander I Square with the theme “We are people, not propaganda” in response to growing rhetoric that presents LGBTI rights as a threat; organisers remind that behind every identity and cause stand real individuals

A convergence report on Bulgaria’s readiness to adopt the Euro from 2026 has been issued by the European Commission, while over 100 anti-Eurozone demonstrations were held, claiming that changing the Lev would represent a loss of national identity

Bulgarians should be allowed to vote on whether the country ditches the lev in favour of the euro, according to President Rumen Radev; critics say the proposed plebiscite is more about his post-presidency political ambitions

Illegally-built Roma homes in Sofia have been flattened despite European Court of Human Rights ruled demolition shouldn't proceed until a legal challenge is resolved; The 2016 decision to demolish follows Spatial Planning Act and locals were notified

Nationalist and anti-fascist marches were held in Sofia on the same day: far-right factions gathered to commemorate controversial general Hristo Lukov in the annual so-called Lukov March while a “No Nazis on our streets” demonstration was held earlier

With house prices in Bulgaria's ten largest cities having risen by 25-26% over the past two years, more and more people are buying real estate, with or without loans, fearing that house prices will rise further after the country joins the Eurozone

Bulgaria had the highest total fertility rate in the EU in 2023 with 1,81 live births per woman, followed by France (1,66) and Hungary (1,55), according to Eurostat data released on Friday 7 March 2024