Buy & Sell Bulgaria Insight Newsletter

27 July 2009 | 14:43 | Source: novinite.com

PM Boiko Borissov submitting his list of cabinet ministers to President Georgi Purvanov

Bulgaria’s new government headed by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov of The Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party was sworn in Monday morning. Bulgaria’s parliament expectedly approved the structure of the center-right government of Boyko Borisov, leader of the winner in the recent general elections GERB, voting 162-77.

The new Bulgarian government consists of 15 Ministers. Former senior World Bank economist Simeon Djankov is the new Minister of Finance; the GERB party Chair Tsvetan Tsvetanov is the new Interior Minister; Sofia Deputy Mayor Yordanka Fandakova is Minister of Education. The biggest surprise in the new government is Traycho Traykov, procurist of EVN electricity distribution company, who headed the Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism. Sculptor Vezhdi Rashidov is the Minister of Culture; former MEP Nikolay Mladenov - Defense Minister, and prosecutor Margarita Popova - Justice Minister. MEP Rumiana Jeleva took over the Foreign Ministry, and the Mayor of the city of Vratsa Totyu Mladenov - the Social and Labor Ministry. Bozhidar Nanev, GERB MP and surgeon at Varna University Hospital is in charge of the Health Ministry. Construction businessman Rosen Plevneliev will be Regional Development Minister. Environment consultant Nona Karadzhova is the next Environment Minister. Alexander Tsvetkov, currently Deputy Mayor of the capital Sofia, is the new Transport Minister. Miroslav Naydenov took over the Agriculture Ministry, after MP Dessislava Taneva withdrew her nomination in the last minute. Bozhidar Dimitrov, the director of Bulgaria’s National History Museum is Minister without a portfolio in charge of the Bulgarian citizens abroad. Svilen Neykov, Bulgarian rowing champion and coach and husband of Bulgarian Beijing Olympics gold medalist Rumyana Neykova, are in charge of the newly created Sports Ministry.

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In 2008, Bulgaria had the lowest price level for goods and services of all 27 EU member states, according to latest Eurostat data.

The most expensive EU countries are Denmark with 141% of the EU average, followed by Ireland (127%), Luxembourg (116%), Sweden (114%), Belgium and France (both 111%).

Bulgaria’s consumer prices for goods and services were only 51% of the EU 27 average. Other cheapest EU states are Romania (62%), Lithuania (67%), and Poland (69%).

In the different categories of goods and services, Bulgaria’s price levels are lowest in the EU for food and non-alcoholic beverages in 2008 - 67% of the EU 27 average compared to the most highest level - 147% of the average in Denmark.

For cigarettes Romanians paid the least, while smokers in Ireland had to pay dearly.

Clothes are one of the goods, which prices did not vary so much during the period under review. However they were the cheapest in the UK and the most expensive clothes were the ones in Finland.

Again, in the UK electronics could be purchased at a profit, while in Malta they were the most expensive good.

In addition, Bulgaria’s prices for restaurants and hotels services were only 40% of the EU average, whereas the highest prices in the Union in this category, Denmark’s, are 151% of the EU average.

The Black Sea highway will include expansion and connection of already existing roads. Photo by BGNES

Russia approved the project to build a highway around the entire coastal line of the Black Sea for the amount of USD 1 B. The news was reported by the Bulgarian Information Agency, BTA.

The highway will be 7,140 kilometers long and will pass through 12 countries. It will connect Turkey, Georgia, Russia, the Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. It will have at least four lanes while construction works will include the expansion and connection of already existing roads.

The project’s deadline is yet to be set.

NOVINITE.COM

Topsport - The contract for F1 will be signed on Friday

By Svetla Dimitrova

The track will be constructed most probably near Varna because of its infrastructure.

The president of the Bulgarian Federation of Motor-cycling (BFM) Bogdan Nikolov announced, that Bulgaria would sign a contract to host the F1 Grand Prix with the promoter of the World Championship Bernie Ecclestone on Friday, July 10, 2009, the online edition of the newspaper Dnevnik announced.

The Chairman of the Organization Committee of Bulgaria’s Grand Prix Mr. Rumen Petkov, representatives of private investors and the Deputy Minister of Finance Kiril Ananiev, should meet with Ecclestone before Germany’s Grand Prix at Nürburgring, where the contract should be signed.

The meeting is under question because Ecclestone would not travel on Thursday, due to his recent problems caused by his extreme statements about Hitler, but most probably he would join the Grand Prix at Nürburgring later on. READ MORE »

The Bulgarian flag and the flag of Europe were put on the highest pylons with flags in Europe. This project was organized and initiated by the Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform of Bulgaria. ‘Varna is number 1, by another indicator’, said Minister Nikolay Vassilev at the official raising of the flags.

The Mayor of Varna, Kiril Yordanov, the Regional Governer, Hristo Kontrov and hundreds of citizens of Varna were present at the ceremony. The Bulgarian and European Union anthems were performed by the Naval Force brass-band.

The pylons are located near the Sea Garden, by the Varna-Golden Sands motorway. The flags are more than 294 sq.m (21.5 m. x 13 m.), which is the size of the biggest flag in Europe situated in Madrid.

According to minister Vassilev the ambition was the sea capital to have the highest pylons and the biggest flags on the European continent. They are 52 m. high, and are lit in the night and can be seen from the whole gulf of Varna and from almost every place in the city, said minister Vassilev.