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The European Commission has issued its most critical report on Bulgaria so far for its failure to reform its courts, reduce corruption, and fight organized crime, according to the country's former commissioner in Brussels. "Brussels told us what we all already know: Bulgaria's current rulers do not want a change in the status quo," said a statement by the civic movement "Bulgaria for Citizens," established and led by former Bulgarian European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. It points out that the report stands in harsh contrast to what has been described as the "never-ending boasting that the ruling party and the government are so fond of". ...

Pavel Shopov, MP from nationalist party Ataka, has called for a moratorium on the sale of state-owned minority stakes in power distribution companies, arguing that their privatization would hurt public interests. In end-December 2011, Bulgaria sold most of the state-owned 33% stakes in the two Bulgarian units of Austrian power utility EVN AG, EVN Bulgaria and EVN Bulgaria Electrosnabdiavane, on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange in a deal worth BGN 92.97. ...

The Chinese Embassy in Sofia has announced a BGN 15 000 donation to aid the victims of the floods that have hit Southern Bulgaria. The funding from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China will be provided to the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Embassy said. China's Ambassador to Bulgaria Guo Yezhou has offered China's condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives. ...

Bulgaria, Slovakia and Lithuania need an additional EUR 2.5 B for the decommissioning of eight non-upgradeable nuclear reactors, according to a report of the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The audit institution advises the European Commission to create the conditions for an "effective, efficient and economical use of EU funds". ...

Bulgaria has a lot of advantages, benefiting the chemical industry business, according to the Solvay Sodi CEO Eric Vander Vorst. In an exclusive interview for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite....

Two non profits, six companies related to the food industry and one IT company announced the establishment of the "Bulgarian Food Bank", whose mission will be to fight hunger and unnecessary food waste. The Bulgarian Food Bank has already been legally incorporated as a non-profit public benefit organization. The actual start of its every day operations depends on further ensuring support for development of infrastructure; providing resources; introducing a package of measures to decrease the cost for the business when donating of edible products and services to the Food Bank. ...

Russian city St. Petersburg's city legislature approved on Wednesday a bill imposing fines up to USD 16 700 for the "promotion of homosexuality." ...

Miroslava Todorova, Chair of the Bulgarian Judges Association (BJA) and judge at the Sofia City Court (SCC), has filed a libel lawsuit against Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov over a series of accusations leveled by him on TV. In a series of media appearances three weeks ago, Tsvetanov claimed that Todorova was incompetent in doing her job and was patronizing the mafia. He argued that she had delayed the issuing of written motives for verdicts against high-profile criminals, including drug lord Vasil Manikatov. ...

Exclusive interview with Mr. Georgi Manchev, CEO of the EnergoService company, for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite....

A new book appeared on the Bulgarian print market in October 2011, but local media, with very few exceptions, stubbornly keep silent about it. From its title - "In the Shadow of Boyko Borisov," the reader can certainly guess why... The book describes things from the past and the present of Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, which, for one reason or another, were and are hushed, or mentioned briefly and manipulated by the media....

Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms has called for the removal of the country's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov in the aftermath of the negative Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report revealed Wednesday. "We expect an adequate reaction on behalf of the Prime Minister," Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) deputy chair Hristo Biserov declared on Wednesday, demanding that PM Boyko Borisov should oust Tsvetanov as a result of the report's findings Key DPS lawmaker Lyutvi Mestan has advised the ruling centrist-right GERB to read the report objectively, even though he has expressed his doubts whether the party would do so. ...

The United States government expressed on Wednesday its condolences to all the victims of recent flooding in southern Bulgaria and offered assistance as the country observed a national day of mourning. US Ambassador James Warlick has requested that the US Agency for International Development approve a donation of USD 50,000 to the Bulgarian Red Cross to aid those affected by the recent deadly flooding, the embassy in Sofia announced. "We hope this donation can assist those communities which are suffering, and especially those who have lost their homes," it said in a statement. ...

Bulgaria's law on asset forfeiture needs to be comprehensive, and backed up with strong institutions, if it is to be effective in dissuading organized crime and high-level corruption, the European Commission recommended in its interim report. A new draft law for asset forfeiture was introduced into Parliament in January. The draft law sets out a regime for non-conviction based asset forfeiture....

The Bulgarians' traditional predisposition to defame their compatriots stands behind the negative Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report released on Wednesday, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. "The things that Bulgarians say about their country in Brussels and Strasbourg have an impact on the report," Borisov pointed out on Wednesday, as cited by the BGNES news agency. "The most severe accusations against Bulgaria are those that I have heard Bulgarians say....

The Interim Monitoring Report of the European Commission has exposed once again Bulgaria's failure to crack down on the abuse of EU funds. "Investigations of alleged fraud of EU funds were not pursued by the prosecution, though investigations into related cases based on the same facts continue in another Member State," states the February Report of the EC on Bulgaria under the so called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism released Wednesday in Brussels. The Commission stresses that in all cases related to fraud of EU funds brought to court in Bulgaria in 2011, criminal responsibility was replaced by administrative fines. ...

1. INTRODUCTION This interim report provides a technical update on significant developments during the last six months in Bulgaria under the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism ("CVM")....

Exclusive interview with Solvay Sodi CEO Eric Vander Vorst for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg. ...

Bulgaria has taken certain measures to improve its justice system and the persecution of organization crime but more convincing results are needed, according to the interim monitoring report of the European Commission on Bulgaria. The Commission's reports under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) are published twice a year to monitor Bulgaria's post-EU accession progress in certain problem areas, namely as justice and home affairs. The "February interim report" released by Brussels on Wednesday focuses on the technical implementation of recommendations made in the annual report in July, and does not contain political assessments of the situation in Bulgaria," EC Spokesperson Mark Gray stressed at a news conference in Brussels. ...

The European Commission's interim Cooperation and Verification Mechanism Report revealed on Wednesday is expected to deal a serious blow to the country's efforts to join the Schengen Agreement soon. Bulgaria needs to adopt its asset forfeiture legislation, take a more comprehensive approach in reforming judicial and investigative practice, enhance the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in the reform of the judiciary and achieve convincing results in the fight against corruption and organised crime, the CVM report has pointed out. Upon presenting the report, European Commission spokespeople reiterated that the CVM reports and Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen bids are different topics....

Italy and Poland have become the first EU member states to react to Bulgaria's request to help the combat against its massive floods and prevent new disasters amid the severely cold weather in the country. On Monday, eight Bulgarians lost their lives as a dam wall burst and flooded the Southern Bulgarian village of Biser. Bulgaria is among the European countries hit by severe winter conditions and heavy snowfalls. ...

Stefan Ivanov, 29, a mechanic who turned into a national hero after coming first to the rescue of the victims of a hellish bus crash in Bulgaria last summer, is on his way to achieve his biggest dream – be a firefighter. The job proposal has come from the authorities in the town of Stara Zagora and Stefan is determined to put in huge efforts to prove his abilities. The life of the young mechanic from the small town of Chirpan changed forever after he saved the lives of eight victims of a hellish bus crash in Bulgaria in June....

Republican US presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has achieved a remarkable triple victory in the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses and the Missouri primary. Santorum's triumphs have been described by US media as setbacks for Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, as well as for Newt Gingrich's aspirations of being the conservative alternative to Romney. With most of the returns counted, the former Pennsylvania senator won the Minnesota caucuses with 45%of the vote, followed by Ron Paul with 27 % and Mitt Romney with a mere 17%.. ...

Bulgaria's ruling GERB party refused a parliamentary hearing of Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov regarding the severe snowfalls in the country and the massive floods in the country. According to Bulgarian Socialist Party MPs, it was the ruling party that should have initiated a parliamentary hearing over the measures taken in the aftermath of the disasters and Tsvetanov, who is head of the emergency headquarters, should have addressed the Parliament. The far-right nationalist Ataka formation also demanded that Tsvetanov, together with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, attend a parliamentary hearing on the issue. ...

Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic marked the highest increase in corporate insolvencies in central and eastern Europe last year in the wake of the credit crunch and economic slow-down,  Creditreform agency said. Corporate insolvencies rose by 6% to 39,423 in the 11 countries monitored by Creditreform, a credit score and debt collection agency based in Neuss, Germany. In Bulgaria, whose economy relies mainly on exports to Western Europe, the number of companies that defaulted more than doubled, Creditreform said in a study released on Tuesday. ...

Bulgaria's recently appointed national football coach Lyuboslav Penev would welcome striker Dimitar Berbatov's potential return to the squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. On Tuesday, the unettled Manchester United forward softened his stance on his country's national team and hinted of a probable return. Lyuboslav Penev has reacted by revealing that he would hold talks with Berbatov later this week. ...

The families of the eight victims of Monday's flood in Bulgaria will be compensated with BGN 10 000 each, the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov revealed on Wednesday. The measure is to be approved at Wednesday's regular cabinet sitting, Borisov told the Bulgarian National Television. The Prime Minister described the situation in the distressed communities of Biser, Harmanli and Svilengrad as "a natural disaster", adding that the damages "could not be measured in kilograms....

Bulgaria's national football team may have participated in a fixed friendly game against South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup that took place in the African country. The Sunday Times of South Africa has claimed that Bafana Bafana's matches against  Bulgaria, Thailand, Guatemala and Colombia may have been fixed by Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, who is serving a two-year jail term in Finland for fixing matches there. The Bulgarian game in question was played on May 24 2010 in Johannesburg and ended in a 1:1 draw. ...

Wednesday has been declared a day of mourning in Bulgaria in order to commemorate the victims of the tragic flood that took at least eight lives on Monday. All flags at State institutions are to fly at half staff on Wednesday. The busted wall of the Ivanovo dam submerged under water Monday the village of Biser near the southern town of Harmanli. ...

Elections are to be featured for the first time in the European Commission progress report on justice and home affairs in Bulgaria, according to a publication by Bulgarian site Mediapool. The report, expected to be published Wednesday, criticizes Bulgarian authorities for the widespread perception of vote buying and other irregularities during October 2011 presidential and municipal elections, according to a draft of the report in Mediapool's possession. The report allegedly asks for "deterring sanctions for vote buying and other election fraud" to be implemented. ...

Manchester United Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov said Tuesday he could return to the Bulgarian national football team, if explicitly asked to do so. "I have not talked with Bulgaria manager Lyuboslav Penev regarding taht issue. If I receive an invitation, I could consider things again," said Berbatov in Sofia, as quoted by bTV. ...

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has vowed to stop all violence in the country, no matter where it comes from, said Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on an emergency visit to Syria. "It is clear that efforts to end violence must be accompanied by dialogue among all political agents. Today we received the Syrian President's confirmation for his readiness to assist in that process," said Lavrov as quoted by RIA Novosti. ...

All schools in Bulgaria will be closed for the remainder of the week due to extreme winter conditions that caused road blocks and floods in different parts of the country. "Due to the extremely complicated and unforseeable weather conditions and the impassability on most of roads in the country, no classes will be held Wednesday through Friday," announced the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. Previously fallen heavy snow melting over warmer days during the weekend, combined with fresh precipitation of rain and snow caused massive floods in the southern Bulgarian region of Haskovo. ...

Newly-inaugurated Bulgarian President, Rosen Plevneliev, has joined other officials in touring the flooded areas and monitoring the rescue effort. On Tuesday, together with Bulgaria's EU Commissioner on International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, and Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, Plevneliev visited the flooded "Gerban" district of the town of Svilengrad on the Bulgarian-Turkish border. They toured the streets submerged under water on an armored carrier and later gave a briefing, where it was reported that despite the very serious situation in the town, there are no registered fatalities....

In the last two weeks Bulgaria was hit by the coldest and harshest winter in a decade with heavy snowfall, ice, and treacherous, largely uncleaned roads. Many got stranded in snow drifts, in the dark and the cold, but the real tragedy happened when the waters of the Ivanovo dam in southeastern Bulgaria bust its wall and flooded the nearby village of Biser. The disaster took eight lives with two still missing....

All roads in the northern Bulgarian region of Ruse have remained closed throughout Tuesday, as heavy snow with high winds rendered the situation unmanageable. At the same time, heavy floods took the lives of 8 persons Monday in the southern region of Haskovo, as a dam wall broke near the village of Biser. The situation in Kardzhali region in the south is also critical, with many rivers and reservoirs overflowing due to heavy precipitation and melting snow over the end of last week. ...

The ruling, center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, GERB, is donating BGN 1 M from its State subsidy to the residents of the flooded southeastern village of Biser. The decision was made Tuesday by the GERB Executive Commission, the party press center reports, stressing the funding is destined to help the victims of the tragedy. "This is our personal help to these people so that they can rebuild their homes....

Russian and Bulgarian ministers have expressed satisfaction at improved business and toursit ties due to recent liberalizations of the visa regime between the two countries. Monday through Wednesday Bulgarian ministers of finance Simeon Djankov, of economy, energy and tourism Traicho Traikov and of transport Ivaylo Moskovski are on an official visit to Moscow. Russian Minister of Energy Sergei Shmatko, who met with the Bulgarian delegation Tuesday, thanked for the decision taken by the Bulgarian government to install a visa-free regime for the country for Schengen visa holders. ...

Bulgaria's "Personalities in the News" for 2011 – who were selected by you, our readers from around the world – have received their awards at a special ceremony in Sofia. Three of the four winners of the "Personality in the News" title for 2011 – Mrs. Meglena Kuneva, Mr....

The Bulgarian State-owned railways BDZ are asking their customers to avoid travel unless there is an absolute emergency. The BDZ schedule has experienced disruptions and delays in the last two days over the snow fall and at some locations in the country there are no trains because tracks are covered with snow. The company's management reports that most of the trains that have been stuck in snow drifts earlier Tuesday have departed now and for others – passengers have been transported on buses. ...

Greece has declared an emergency situation in the northern Evros province after heavy rains and melting snow caused the great Evros river to come out of its banks. Floods started upstream in Bulgaria, where Evros is known as Maritsa, Monday. Flooded rivers and broken dams caused 8 deaths in Bulgaria, which has announced a day of national mourning Wednesday. ...

The roof over the "Arrivals" terminal entrance of the airport in Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv has collapsed during the night because of snow that has accumulated on it. The information was reported Tuesday by the airport Director, Doychin Angelov, who said that there were no passengers at the terminal due to the late hour. Plovdiv airport was closed Tuesday morning over a 30-cm snow cover, but reopened later during the day. ...

Russia fully guarantees adequate delivery of natural gas to Europe, stated Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko upon meeting Bulgarian counterpart Traicho Traikov in Moscow Tuesday. "The perception of decreased deliveries of gas to Balkan countries arised because of increased consumption due to the bad weather in Europe," said Shmatko. "There will be no problems with the delivery of requested amounts to Bulgaria and other European countries," added the Russian Minister of Energy. ...

The dam failures of the last two days have caused Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to vow the introduction of a centralized system of governance of Bulgarian dams. In a Tuesday interview for the private TV channel bTV, he said that Bulgaria had around 2800 dams and other smaller reservoirs managed by different institutions. At present, major irrigation facilities are maintained by the Agriculture Ministry, drinking water reservoirs by Water Supply and Sewerage, which is in its turn controlled by the Regional Development Ministry, while hydroelectric power dams are the responsibility of the Dams and Cascades company, which is part of the national power grid operator NEK, which is run by the Economy Ministry. ...

The miners at Bulgaria's largest State-owned coal mines Maritsa Iztok have resumed coal extraction at all three open-pit mines. Coal extraction at the mines was disrupted as a result of the flood caused by the heavy rains and melting snow. The news about the resumed work was reported Tuesday by the BTA news agency, citing the company's press office. ...

Bulgarian vice-PM and Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov and Minister of Economy and Energy Traicho Traikov discussed joint energy projects with Russia with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko Tuesday. Djankov, Traikov and Bulgarian Minister of Transport Ivaylo Moskovski are on a 3-day visit to the Russian capital Monday-Wednesday, right after the Sunday visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Bulgaria. Shmatko, together with Djankov and Traikov discussed the extension of units 5 and 6 of the Bulgarian Kozloduy NPP, the project for a second Belene NPP, as well as developments on the South Stream natural gas pipeline. ...

The expulsion of Greece from the single currency zone will not end the euro, the European Commission vice president has said amid further last-minute talks between the indebted country and the Troika of official lenders. European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes told a Dutch newspaper that there would be "absolutely no man overboard" if Greece left the euro. "What's a man overboard?" Kroes told the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant....

Manchester United will give Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov a 1-year extension of his contract, contrary to rumors they are ready to transfer him. According to reports in the UK press, the team is expected to activate a clause in its 2008 contract with Berbatov, which would require the Bulgarian to stay on the team. In the last year, the top-scoring striker played seldom and stayed on the reserve squad, fuelling rumors he would better leave the team. ...

There is a threat of a second dam wall failure in the vicinity of the village of Biser, the press office of the Interior Ministry said in a statement Tuesday noon. This time the risk involves the Elena dam, which is located below the village of Elena on the bank of the Biserka river. In the case of a breakdown, the wave will once again hit Biser, which is struggling to recover from Monday's disaster. ...

The Bulgarian cabinet declared Wednesday, February 8, an official day of mourning over the tragic deaths of Bulgarian citizens in floods in the southeastern village of Biser. The information was reported Tuesday by the cabinet's press center. The Council of Minister's is further expressing deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the vicitms. ...

Bulgarian mobile phone operator Globul will become official sponsor of the England's Premier League Champion Manchester United. The news was reported by several tabloid Bulgarian media Tuesday, an confirmed by the official Twitter account of Google. According to initial information, the two sides will sign later Tuesday the sponsorship contract in the presence of the team's manager Sir Alex Ferguson and its star-striker, Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov. ...

The European Commission is about to launch an investigation into Bulgaria's pharmaceutical company Sopharma over suspicions of monopoly as unethical as in an African country, New Europe reported. "Sopharma, controlled by Ognyan Donev, who until a year ago was a member of the supervisory board of the State Authority National Health Insurance Fund, has managed to supply more than 70% of the medicines required by (state) hospitals and more than 50% of prescribed medicines - an extremely profitable business, for which Donev deserves congratulations, but since Bulgaria is not a member of the AU (African Union) but of the EU, this situation must stop, as it is in flagrant violation of EU law," the New Europe wrote. It points out that the other key person in the scheme is the current deputy health minister of Bulgaria, Gergana Pavlova, a former high-ranking employee of Sopharma. ...

New Europe This column [New Europe's Kassandra] has so far commented three times on the issue of Sopharma, a pharmaceutical company in Bulgaria that was previously owned by the Municipality of Sofia, which was privatised in September 2000 under rather colonial terms. Traps and pitfalls for Borisov (New Europe, 30 October 2011), Conflict of interest: Bulgaria sets new record  (13 November 2011), Petty interests downgrade image of Bulgaria and Borisov (9 December 2011). ...

The next two weeks will be very difficult and the melting snow could make the situation very complex, according the Bulgaria's EU Commissioner on International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva. Georgieva spoke during her visit to the southeastern Bulgarian village of Biser which was inundated Monday when the nearby Ivanovo dam wall burst in the aftermath of heavy snow. She stressed that the worst is yet to come. ...

The left dike of the Maritsa River has collapsed near the southern Bulgarian village of Generalovo, sending a huge flood wave in the direction of Kapitan Andreevo. According to Haskovo District Governor Irena Uzunova, who is currently in the flood-hit village of Biser, the mayors of the nearby villages have been warned and Monday's massive flooding will not recur. On Monday, the wall of the Ivanovo dam collapsed, killing eight people and causing massive damage in the village of Biser and its surroundings. ...

The southern Bulgarian village of Biser, which suffered a massive flood Monday after a dam wall collapsed, is still struggling to recover from the disaster with the help of rescue teams from the Bulgarian Red Cross and the Ministries of Defense and Interior. 58 residents have been evacuated, eight have been confirmed dead, and the whereabouts of an elderly couple remain unknown, according to Irena Uzunova, Haskovo District Governor. "A total of 58 have been evacuated, 26 have been accommodated at the hospital in Harmanli, and one of them wanted to leave because he said he was feeling well....

The severe cold snap and floods that hit hard Bulgaria will come to an end after two weeks, when the mercury will permanently rise above the freezing point, forecasts say. Until February 20 however Bulgaria is to see another wave of heavy snowfalls in most parts of the country, as well as strong winds in the east during the next few days, weather forecasts have warned. On Tuesday temperatures in most parts of the country will remain without significant change during the day, ranging between -8 ° and -3 °, in southeastern Bulgaria – between 0 °and -1 °. ...

Bulgaria has declared its highest "Code Red" weather warning for the southern districts of Haskovo and Smolyan after Monday's massive flooding in the area. According to reports of the Interior Ministry, the situation is most critical on the territory of the Haskovo district. The flood unleashed in the village of Biser after a dam wall collapse took the lives of at least eight, possibly nine, people. ...

Code orange has been declared for almost the entire territory of Bulgaria on Tuesday by the national weather service, due to especially cold weather. All, but one, Bulgarian regions remain under code orange over extremely low temperatures, the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) announced Tuesday morning. Code orange means intense weather situations with potential damage, injuries and casualties. ...

The deadly heavy rains that hit southern Bulgaria on Monday are expected to abate by the end of the week, but temperatures will sharply drop. Bulgaria is to see another wave of heavy snowfalls in most parts of the country, as well as strong winds in the east during the next few days, weather forecasts have warned. Rivers are expected to swell and reach critically high levels. ...

By Tom Bruce-Gardyne The Herald Scotland Thirty years ago, without their being aware of grape varieties, wine drinkers wouldn't venture beyond some reasonably well-known appellations and a handful of brands. ...

Romania's President Traian Basescu announced late on Monday he had asked Romanian foreign intelligence service head Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu to form a new government and seek parliament's vote of confidence. The nomination came after earlier on Monday Romania's Prime Minister Emil Boc resigned following angry protests by thousands of Romanians who have risen up against sharp austerity measures for weeks. Ungureanu, a 43-year-old historian and former foreign minister, has ten days to form a cabinet and draft a governing program. ...

EU Commissioner for humanitarian aid Kristalina Georgieva has declared readiness to react in aid of the flooded regions of Southeastern Bulgaria that were badly affected by the breaking of local dam early on Monday. The flooding near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Harmanli in the Haskovo District has claimed 9 lives, 5 of those in the village of Biser. "My team is in permanent contact with the Bulgarian crisis centre regarding the Ivanovo dam burst near Biser....

Nine people have lost their lives in Southeastern Bulgaria in Monday's flooding caused by the breaking of local dams. A total of nine persons have drowned in Southeastern Bulgaria as a result of the collapse of local water reservoir dams, the Interior Ministry has confirmed. The death toll continued to rise throughout Monday, with three casualties reported initially....

The Bulgarian Border Police has shut down for traffic the Kapitan Andreevo crossing on the Bulgarian-Turkish border as a result of the floods that struck Southeastern Bulgaria on Monday. As of 6 pm on February 6, 2012, the Kapitan Andreevo crossing was closed for any vehicles because of the flooding of the E-80 road leading to from Bulgaria's Sofia to Turkey's Istanbul by the Kalamitsa River. The small river, which is a tributary of the larger Maritsa River, has flooded a 700-meter road section, leaving the road under 60 cm of water. ...

Greece said on Monday it has begun to construct a 12.5 kilometer fence along its land border with Turkey, intended to curb illegal immigration. The structure in the north-eastern province of Evros - to be completed by late August or early September 2012 - is to consist of two parallel fences, topped with barbed wire and 25 thermal cameras. ...

The wall of the Ivanovo dam, which collapsed Monday morning and killed eight people in the southern Bulgarian village of Biser, has had cracks which stayed unrepaired for six years. The problem remained unsolved due to ownership arguments between the Harmanli municipality, the Haskovo District Governor and the Bulgarian Defence Ministry. "It does not matter whose property the dam was and who was in charge of its maintenance", Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Monday, as cited by the Bulgarian National Television (BNT). ...

If you are into Bulgarian history and politics, you might have heard of the mythical Cold War plans of Bulgaria's communist regime to blow up the dams of large Bulgarian water reservoirs as a defensive measure in the event of a war with Turkey, back then a member of the enemy alliance - NATO. The rationale of these plans – whose existence and efficiency remain dubious but which still get deluded Bulgarian "patriots" ecstatic on online forums – was that the bursting of the dams all over Southern Bulgaria was supposed to flood European Turkey, and thus block any advance of the Cold War enemy. This was supposed to be achieved not only by the impact of the tidal wave down the river beds of Maritsa and Tundzha, but also by the flooding that was supposed to make all of Thrace "muddy" for at least 2-3 weeks. ...

A total of eight persons have drowned in Southeastern Bulgaria as a result of flooding caused by the breaking of local water reservoir dams, the Interior Ministry has confirmed. The death toll continued to rise throughout Monday, with three casualties reported initially. The highest number of casualties was registered in the village of Biser, Haskovo District, where at least 200 houses have been flooded. ...

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry has sent a note warning the authorities of Turkey and Greece about the overflowing of major water dams on Bulgarian territory. Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a note this morning, informed Greek and Turkish authorities that the Ivailovgrad water reservoir and the Studen Kladenetz water reservoir will begin to overflow. The volume of water expected to discharge from the dam is 268 cubic meters per second. ...

Briquette production at the Brikel plant in the southern Bulgarian town of Galabovo has stopped due to halted coal supplies from the state-owned Maritsa Iztok Mines. Coal extraction at the mines has been disrupted as a result of the flood caused by the heavy rains and melting snow. The briquette production plant is located near the village of Obruchishte, Galabovo municipality, where more than 200 houses were swamped by the overflowing Sokolitsa River. ...

The overflowing Kalamitsa River, a tributary of the Maritsa River, has flooded a 300-meter stretch of international road E 80 between the village of Kapitan Andreevo and the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point. According to reports of Boder Police, the river level is currently 20 cm and is rising rapidly. Motor vehicles traveling on E-80 are being redirected to the Lesovo border crossing point. ...

The flood at the southern Bulgarian village of Biser, which was caused by the collapse of a dam wall, has taken the lives of five elderly men. Zlatka Varbanova, mayor of the village, told journalists Monday morning that most of the victims had died from drowning. The death toll of five has been officially confirmed by the Interior Ministry. ...

Romania is expected to name its new Prime Minister in the following days, as Emil Boc resigned from his post on Monday after his austerity measures resulted in mass protests. President Traian Basescu is to nominate the Balkan EU newcomer's next Prime Minister within days, the Bulgarian BGNES news agency reports, citing international media. On Monday, Basescu was expected to meet with representatives of the country's major political parties....

Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu has been named the country's interim Prime Minister by President Traian Basescu, after Emil Boc resigned earlier on Monday. Predoiu, 43, is a lawyer and a former member of the oppositional National Liberal Party. He became Minister of Justice of Romania on February 29 2008 and his term was extended by the new Emil Boc cabinet formed in December 2008. ...

A Bulgarian carrying cocaine capsules in his stomach has died at a hospital where he was taken after being captured at the Salvador International Airport. Earlier reports had suggested that the man was a Belgian national, but the information was rejected by the Belgian Foreign Ministry, which said in a statement that the detainee had dual (Bulgarian and US) citizenship. The drug mule carrying capsules of cocaine in his stomach was busted by local anti-drug police. ...

A brutal Bulgarian gangster, who was caught in London last month on an alert from an investigation of The Sun, claims his human rights will be breached if he is extradited to his home country. Tihomir Georgiev, 43, notorious for slicing off victims' fingers and ears, is fighting extradition from the UK, using legal aid and claiming police in Bulgaria would mistreat him, The Sun reported. The article adds that Georgiev is now being probed over the sickening torture killings of a drug dealer, the supplier's girlfriend and a journalist. ...

Former Finnish Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto has expectedly triumphed as the country's President-elect, gathering almost 63% of the votes in Sunday's runoff against Pekka Haavisto of the Greens. Niinisto's victory means that the centre-right National Coalition Party will for the first time ever hold the posts of President and Prime Minister at the same time. The historical election also puts an end to a 30-year period in which the Social Democrats held the Nordic country's presidency without a break, The European Voice reminds. ...

The rescue operation for the population of the flood-hit Haskovo municipality in southern Bulgaria continues despite the fact that the Cougar rescue helicopters are highly unsuitable for severe winter conditions. In a Monday interview for the morning broadcast of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), Prime Minister Boyko Borisov explained that Cougar helicopters were not fit to use in winter conditions because they had no anti-icing and de-icing system, meaning that it was quite possible for them to crash after takeoff. "I wish the people courage! The problem is that Cougar helicopters, on which we have spent so much money, are not equipped with any form of anti-icing or de-icing system, which means that there is a huge risk of an engine failure after takeoff....

A dam wall has burst near the southern Bulgarian village of Elena, located near the town of Haskovo, it emerged on Monday. Earlier on Monday, another dam wall burst and flooded the village of Biser that is situated in the same region. One victim has been reported (a 90-year-old man, according to Darik radio), while some 12 people have been injured....

Romania's Prime Minister Emil Boc has resigned after weeks of protests in the Balkan country against the government's austerity measures. On Monday, Boc gave up the government's mandate, explaining that "it is the moment for important political decisions," BBC has informed. He explained that he wanted to to "defuse political and social tension" after the series of protests in the EU newcomer. ...

The official website of Prophon, a Bulgarian music licensing company, was hacked by Anonymous on Sunday due to its recently declared support of the controversial ACTA agreement. "This is Anonymous. It has come to our attention that YOU and another twelve greedy organisations have signed a open letter, supporting the so-called "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement"," prophon....

US Secretary of State Hillary Cinton has agreed with Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov that environmental safety should be the highest priority as far as shale gas research and exploration are concerned, US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick said. In an interview for the Bulgarian National Television early on Monday, Warlick stated that the US has a beautiful nature, just like Bulgaria, but it has come a long way towards safe shale gas exploration, as new technologies and appropriate regulations have been implemented. The US will not try to pressure Bulgaria by any means, and the Balkan country should objectively consider the issue, since there are always risks when it comes to energy production, the US Ambassador added. ...

The Bulgarian village of Biser, located near the southern town of Harmanly, has been flooded, as the local "Ivanovo" dam has burst. A 3-meter high flood wave has flooded the village, worried villagers told the bTV private channel early on Monday. Military forces are ready to step in and participate in countering the emergency situation, Haskovo Regional Governor Irena Uzunova has informed. ...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Sunday visit to Bulgaria was not urgent but routine, according to Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov. "The visit was planned a long time ago. It is a common practice of the US State Department to confirm such visits a week before they take place," Mladenov explained in an interview for the Btv private channel. ...

Bulgaria's former Vice President Angel Marin has pointed out that he pardoned fewer criminals than his predecessor. It recently emerged that Marin pardoned a total of 533 felons during his two terms in office, including many murderers. In an interview for the private bTV channel on Sunday, the former Vice President argued that his predecessor had pardoned more than 1000 criminals during his 5-year term (1997-2002). ...

The southern Bulgarian town of Zlatograd is ready to be evacuated due to heavy downpours, while other parts of the country remain under Code Orange because of the severe winter conditions. The remote municipalities of Zlatograd and Nedelino in the southern Smolyan Region declared emergency already on Sunday, after rain and melting snow caused overflowing of rivers and reservoirs. The level at the surface of the local Varbitsa river has risen drastically, while dozens of houses in Nedelino have been reported flooded, dnevnik....

Business

Pavel Shopov, MP from nationalist party Ataka, has called for a moratorium on the sale of state-owned minority stakes in power distribution companies, arguing that their privatization would hurt public interests. In end-December 2011, Bulgaria sold most of the state-owned 33% stakes in the two Bulgarian units of Austrian power utility EVN AG, EVN Bulgaria and EVN Bulgaria Electrosnabdiavane, on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange in a deal worth BGN 92.97. ...

Bulgaria, Slovakia and Lithuania need an additional EUR 2.5 B for the decommissioning of eight non-upgradeable nuclear reactors, according to a report of the European Court of Auditors (ECA). The audit institution advises the European Commission to create the conditions for an "effective, efficient and economical use of EU funds". ...

Bulgaria has a lot of advantages, benefiting the chemical industry business, according to the Solvay Sodi CEO Eric Vander Vorst. In an exclusive interview for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite....

Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic marked the highest increase in corporate insolvencies in central and eastern Europe last year in the wake of the credit crunch and economic slow-down,  Creditreform agency said. Corporate insolvencies rose by 6% to 39,423 in the 11 countries monitored by Creditreform, a credit score and debt collection agency based in Neuss, Germany. In Bulgaria, whose economy relies mainly on exports to Western Europe, the number of companies that defaulted more than doubled, Creditreform said in a study released on Tuesday. ...

The roof over the "Arrivals" terminal entrance of the airport in Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv has collapsed during the night because of snow that has accumulated on it. The information was reported Tuesday by the airport Director, Doychin Angelov, who said that there were no passengers at the terminal due to the late hour. Plovdiv airport was closed Tuesday morning over a 30-cm snow cover, but reopened later during the day. ...

Russia fully guarantees adequate delivery of natural gas to Europe, stated Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko upon meeting Bulgarian counterpart Traicho Traikov in Moscow Tuesday. "The perception of decreased deliveries of gas to Balkan countries arised because of increased consumption due to the bad weather in Europe," said Shmatko. "There will be no problems with the delivery of requested amounts to Bulgaria and other European countries," added the Russian Minister of Energy. ...

The miners at Bulgaria's largest State-owned coal mines Maritsa Iztok have resumed coal extraction at all three open-pit mines. Coal extraction at the mines was disrupted as a result of the flood caused by the heavy rains and melting snow. The news about the resumed work was reported Tuesday by the BTA news agency, citing the company's press office. ...

Bulgarian vice-PM and Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov and Minister of Economy and Energy Traicho Traikov discussed joint energy projects with Russia with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko Tuesday. Djankov, Traikov and Bulgarian Minister of Transport Ivaylo Moskovski are on a 3-day visit to the Russian capital Monday-Wednesday, right after the Sunday visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Bulgaria. Shmatko, together with Djankov and Traikov discussed the extension of units 5 and 6 of the Bulgarian Kozloduy NPP, the project for a second Belene NPP, as well as developments on the South Stream natural gas pipeline. ...

Bulgarian mobile phone operator Globul will become official sponsor of the England's Premier League Champion Manchester United. The news was reported by several tabloid Bulgarian media Tuesday, an confirmed by the official Twitter account of Google. According to initial information, the two sides will sign later Tuesday the sponsorship contract in the presence of the team's manager Sir Alex Ferguson and its star-striker, Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov. ...

The European Commission is about to launch an investigation into Bulgaria's pharmaceutical company Sopharma over suspicions of monopoly as unethical as in an African country, New Europe reported. "Sopharma, controlled by Ognyan Donev, who until a year ago was a member of the supervisory board of the State Authority National Health Insurance Fund, has managed to supply more than 70% of the medicines required by (state) hospitals and more than 50% of prescribed medicines - an extremely profitable business, for which Donev deserves congratulations, but since Bulgaria is not a member of the AU (African Union) but of the EU, this situation must stop, as it is in flagrant violation of EU law," the New Europe wrote. It points out that the other key person in the scheme is the current deputy health minister of Bulgaria, Gergana Pavlova, a former high-ranking employee of Sopharma. ...

Politics

The European Commission has issued its most critical report on Bulgaria so far for its failure to reform its courts, reduce corruption, and fight organized crime, according to the country's former commissioner in Brussels. "Brussels told us what we all already know: Bulgaria's current rulers do not want a change in the status quo," said a statement by the civic movement "Bulgaria for Citizens," established and led by former Bulgarian European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. It points out that the report stands in harsh contrast to what has been described as the "never-ending boasting that the ruling party and the government are so fond of". ...

The Chinese Embassy in Sofia has announced a BGN 15 000 donation to aid the victims of the floods that have hit Southern Bulgaria. The funding from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China will be provided to the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Embassy said. China's Ambassador to Bulgaria Guo Yezhou has offered China's condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives. ...

Miroslava Todorova, Chair of the Bulgarian Judges Association (BJA) and judge at the Sofia City Court (SCC), has filed a libel lawsuit against Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov over a series of accusations leveled by him on TV. In a series of media appearances three weeks ago, Tsvetanov claimed that Todorova was incompetent in doing her job and was patronizing the mafia. He argued that she had delayed the issuing of written motives for verdicts against high-profile criminals, including drug lord Vasil Manikatov. ...

Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms has called for the removal of the country's Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov in the aftermath of the negative Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report revealed Wednesday. "We expect an adequate reaction on behalf of the Prime Minister," Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) deputy chair Hristo Biserov declared on Wednesday, demanding that PM Boyko Borisov should oust Tsvetanov as a result of the report's findings Key DPS lawmaker Lyutvi Mestan has advised the ruling centrist-right GERB to read the report objectively, even though he has expressed his doubts whether the party would do so. ...

The United States government expressed on Wednesday its condolences to all the victims of recent flooding in southern Bulgaria and offered assistance as the country observed a national day of mourning. US Ambassador James Warlick has requested that the US Agency for International Development approve a donation of USD 50,000 to the Bulgarian Red Cross to aid those affected by the recent deadly flooding, the embassy in Sofia announced. "We hope this donation can assist those communities which are suffering, and especially those who have lost their homes," it said in a statement. ...

Bulgaria's law on asset forfeiture needs to be comprehensive, and backed up with strong institutions, if it is to be effective in dissuading organized crime and high-level corruption, the European Commission recommended in its interim report. A new draft law for asset forfeiture was introduced into Parliament in January. The draft law sets out a regime for non-conviction based asset forfeiture....

The Bulgarians' traditional predisposition to defame their compatriots stands behind the negative Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report released on Wednesday, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. "The things that Bulgarians say about their country in Brussels and Strasbourg have an impact on the report," Borisov pointed out on Wednesday, as cited by the BGNES news agency. "The most severe accusations against Bulgaria are those that I have heard Bulgarians say....

The Interim Monitoring Report of the European Commission has exposed once again Bulgaria's failure to crack down on the abuse of EU funds. "Investigations of alleged fraud of EU funds were not pursued by the prosecution, though investigations into related cases based on the same facts continue in another Member State," states the February Report of the EC on Bulgaria under the so called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism released Wednesday in Brussels. The Commission stresses that in all cases related to fraud of EU funds brought to court in Bulgaria in 2011, criminal responsibility was replaced by administrative fines. ...

Bulgaria has taken certain measures to improve its justice system and the persecution of organization crime but more convincing results are needed, according to the interim monitoring report of the European Commission on Bulgaria. The Commission's reports under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) are published twice a year to monitor Bulgaria's post-EU accession progress in certain problem areas, namely as justice and home affairs. The "February interim report" released by Brussels on Wednesday focuses on the technical implementation of recommendations made in the annual report in July, and does not contain political assessments of the situation in Bulgaria," EC Spokesperson Mark Gray stressed at a news conference in Brussels. ...

The European Commission's interim Cooperation and Verification Mechanism Report revealed on Wednesday is expected to deal a serious blow to the country's efforts to join the Schengen Agreement soon. Bulgaria needs to adopt its asset forfeiture legislation, take a more comprehensive approach in reforming judicial and investigative practice, enhance the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in the reform of the judiciary and achieve convincing results in the fight against corruption and organised crime, the CVM report has pointed out. Upon presenting the report, European Commission spokespeople reiterated that the CVM reports and Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen bids are different topics....

Bulgaria in EU

The European Commission has issued its most critical report on Bulgaria so far for its failure to reform its courts, reduce corruption, and fight organized crime, according to the country's former commissioner in Brussels. "Brussels told us what we all already know: Bulgaria's current rulers do not want a change in the status quo," said a statement by the civic movement "Bulgaria for Citizens," established and led by former Bulgarian European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. It points out that the report stands in harsh contrast to what has been described as the "never-ending boasting that the ruling party and the government are so fond of". ...

Bulgaria's law on asset forfeiture needs to be comprehensive, and backed up with strong institutions, if it is to be effective in dissuading organized crime and high-level corruption, the European Commission recommended in its interim report. A new draft law for asset forfeiture was introduced into Parliament in January. The draft law sets out a regime for non-conviction based asset forfeiture....

The Bulgarians' traditional predisposition to defame their compatriots stands behind the negative Cooperation and Verification Mechanism report released on Wednesday, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. "The things that Bulgarians say about their country in Brussels and Strasbourg have an impact on the report," Borisov pointed out on Wednesday, as cited by the BGNES news agency. "The most severe accusations against Bulgaria are those that I have heard Bulgarians say....

The Interim Monitoring Report of the European Commission has exposed once again Bulgaria's failure to crack down on the abuse of EU funds. "Investigations of alleged fraud of EU funds were not pursued by the prosecution, though investigations into related cases based on the same facts continue in another Member State," states the February Report of the EC on Bulgaria under the so called Cooperation and Verification Mechanism released Wednesday in Brussels. The Commission stresses that in all cases related to fraud of EU funds brought to court in Bulgaria in 2011, criminal responsibility was replaced by administrative fines. ...

Bulgaria has taken certain measures to improve its justice system and the persecution of organization crime but more convincing results are needed, according to the interim monitoring report of the European Commission on Bulgaria. The Commission's reports under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) are published twice a year to monitor Bulgaria's post-EU accession progress in certain problem areas, namely as justice and home affairs. The "February interim report" released by Brussels on Wednesday focuses on the technical implementation of recommendations made in the annual report in July, and does not contain political assessments of the situation in Bulgaria," EC Spokesperson Mark Gray stressed at a news conference in Brussels. ...

The European Commission's interim Cooperation and Verification Mechanism Report revealed on Wednesday is expected to deal a serious blow to the country's efforts to join the Schengen Agreement soon. Bulgaria needs to adopt its asset forfeiture legislation, take a more comprehensive approach in reforming judicial and investigative practice, enhance the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in the reform of the judiciary and achieve convincing results in the fight against corruption and organised crime, the CVM report has pointed out. Upon presenting the report, European Commission spokespeople reiterated that the CVM reports and Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen bids are different topics....

Italy and Poland have become the first EU member states to react to Bulgaria's request to help the combat against its massive floods and prevent new disasters amid the severely cold weather in the country. On Monday, eight Bulgarians lost their lives as a dam wall burst and flooded the Southern Bulgarian village of Biser. Bulgaria is among the European countries hit by severe winter conditions and heavy snowfalls. ...

Elections are to be featured for the first time in the European Commission progress report on justice and home affairs in Bulgaria, according to a publication by Bulgarian site Mediapool. The report, expected to be published Wednesday, criticizes Bulgarian authorities for the widespread perception of vote buying and other irregularities during October 2011 presidential and municipal elections, according to a draft of the report in Mediapool's possession. The report allegedly asks for "deterring sanctions for vote buying and other election fraud" to be implemented. ...

The expulsion of Greece from the single currency zone will not end the euro, the European Commission vice president has said amid further last-minute talks between the indebted country and the Troika of official lenders. European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes told a Dutch newspaper that there would be "absolutely no man overboard" if Greece left the euro. "What's a man overboard?" Kroes told the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant....

EU Commissioner for humanitarian aid Kristalina Georgieva has declared readiness to react in aid of the flooded regions of Southeastern Bulgaria that were badly affected by the breaking of local dam early on Monday. The flooding near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Harmanli in the Haskovo District has claimed 9 lives, 5 of those in the village of Biser. "My team is in permanent contact with the Bulgarian crisis centre regarding the Ivanovo dam burst near Biser....

Lifestyle

Two non profits, six companies related to the food industry and one IT company announced the establishment of the "Bulgarian Food Bank", whose mission will be to fight hunger and unnecessary food waste. The Bulgarian Food Bank has already been legally incorporated as a non-profit public benefit organization. The actual start of its every day operations depends on further ensuring support for development of infrastructure; providing resources; introducing a package of measures to decrease the cost for the business when donating of edible products and services to the Food Bank. ...

Stefan Ivanov, 29, a mechanic who turned into a national hero after coming first to the rescue of the victims of a hellish bus crash in Bulgaria last summer, is on his way to achieve his biggest dream – be a firefighter. The job proposal has come from the authorities in the town of Stara Zagora and Stefan is determined to put in huge efforts to prove his abilities. The life of the young mechanic from the small town of Chirpan changed forever after he saved the lives of eight victims of a hellish bus crash in Bulgaria in June....

The families of the eight victims of Monday's flood in Bulgaria will be compensated with BGN 10 000 each, the country's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov revealed on Wednesday. The measure is to be approved at Wednesday's regular cabinet sitting, Borisov told the Bulgarian National Television. The Prime Minister described the situation in the distressed communities of Biser, Harmanli and Svilengrad as "a natural disaster", adding that the damages "could not be measured in kilograms....

Wednesday has been declared a day of mourning in Bulgaria in order to commemorate the victims of the tragic flood that took at least eight lives on Monday. All flags at State institutions are to fly at half staff on Wednesday. The busted wall of the Ivanovo dam submerged under water Monday the village of Biser near the southern town of Harmanli. ...

All schools in Bulgaria will be closed for the remainder of the week due to extreme winter conditions that caused road blocks and floods in different parts of the country. "Due to the extremely complicated and unforseeable weather conditions and the impassability on most of roads in the country, no classes will be held Wednesday through Friday," announced the Bulgarian Ministry of Education. Previously fallen heavy snow melting over warmer days during the weekend, combined with fresh precipitation of rain and snow caused massive floods in the southern Bulgarian region of Haskovo. ...

All roads in the northern Bulgarian region of Ruse have remained closed throughout Tuesday, as heavy snow with high winds rendered the situation unmanageable. At the same time, heavy floods took the lives of 8 persons Monday in the southern region of Haskovo, as a dam wall broke near the village of Biser. The situation in Kardzhali region in the south is also critical, with many rivers and reservoirs overflowing due to heavy precipitation and melting snow over the end of last week. ...

Bulgaria's "Personalities in the News" for 2011 – who were selected by you, our readers from around the world – have received their awards at a special ceremony in Sofia. Three of the four winners of the "Personality in the News" title for 2011 – Mrs. Meglena Kuneva, Mr....

The Bulgarian State-owned railways BDZ are asking their customers to avoid travel unless there is an absolute emergency. The BDZ schedule has experienced disruptions and delays in the last two days over the snow fall and at some locations in the country there are no trains because tracks are covered with snow. The company's management reports that most of the trains that have been stuck in snow drifts earlier Tuesday have departed now and for others – passengers have been transported on buses. ...

Greece has declared an emergency situation in the northern Evros province after heavy rains and melting snow caused the great Evros river to come out of its banks. Floods started upstream in Bulgaria, where Evros is known as Maritsa, Monday. Flooded rivers and broken dams caused 8 deaths in Bulgaria, which has announced a day of national mourning Wednesday. ...

There is a threat of a second dam wall failure in the vicinity of the village of Biser, the press office of the Interior Ministry said in a statement Tuesday noon. This time the risk involves the Elena dam, which is located below the village of Elena on the bank of the Biserka river. In the case of a breakdown, the wave will once again hit Biser, which is struggling to recover from Monday's disaster. ...

Sports

Bulgaria's recently appointed national football coach Lyuboslav Penev would welcome striker Dimitar Berbatov's potential return to the squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. On Tuesday, the unettled Manchester United forward softened his stance on his country's national team and hinted of a probable return. Lyuboslav Penev has reacted by revealing that he would hold talks with Berbatov later this week. ...

Bulgaria's national football team may have participated in a fixed friendly game against South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup that took place in the African country. The Sunday Times of South Africa has claimed that Bafana Bafana's matches against  Bulgaria, Thailand, Guatemala and Colombia may have been fixed by Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, who is serving a two-year jail term in Finland for fixing matches there. The Bulgarian game in question was played on May 24 2010 in Johannesburg and ended in a 1:1 draw. ...

Manchester United Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov said Tuesday he could return to the Bulgarian national football team, if explicitly asked to do so. "I have not talked with Bulgaria manager Lyuboslav Penev regarding taht issue. If I receive an invitation, I could consider things again," said Berbatov in Sofia, as quoted by bTV. ...

Manchester United will give Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov a 1-year extension of his contract, contrary to rumors they are ready to transfer him. According to reports in the UK press, the team is expected to activate a clause in its 2008 contract with Berbatov, which would require the Bulgarian to stay on the team. In the last year, the top-scoring striker played seldom and stayed on the reserve squad, fuelling rumors he would better leave the team. ...

Bulgaria's former Barcelona striker Hristo Stoichkov has "earned" a mention in Bleacher Report's list of 25 worst coaches of all time. Stoichkov, who recently took over Bulgarian champions Litex Lovech, has indeed failed to impress in his career as a coach, his last club being South African Mamelody Sundowns. "Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov was a great player and rivaled some of the best in the game....

Bulgaria has endorsed the town of Panagyurishte to run for host of this year's Candidates Tournament chess clashes, it has been revealed. London and Baku have already entered the race to host the prestigious event, while New York is expected to join them. Bulgaria recently hosted two key chess battles – the Candidate Match between Veselin Topalov and Gata Kamsky in 2009 and Topalov's subsequent World Championship match against Vishwanathan Anand in 2010, which the Bulgarian lost....

Rumen Trifonov, Todor Yanchev and Kostadin Stoyanov, the three CSKA Sofia football players who tested positive for banned stimulants, have been banned for just three months, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee has announced. The players' minimum bans will expire on March 23, which means that they will miss CSKA's A league games against Lokomotiv Sofia, Kaliakra, Montana and Chernomorets Burgas, with only the last one of these considered to be among the stronger A league sides. Trifonov, Yanchev and Stoyanov tested positive for methylhexanamine after the domestic league clash against archrivals Levski Sofia which their team won 1-0 on October 28 2011. ...

Bulgaria's most famous football player in the recent years, Manchester United Strike Dimitar Berbatov, celebrated Monday, January 30, his 31st birthday. Berbatov, who was Bulgaria's No. 1 Football Player in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, was born on January 30, 1981, in the southwestern Bulgarian city of Blagoevgrad. ...

Sporting Lisbon's Bulgarian striker Valeri Bojinov will be certainly loaned out to Italian side Lecce for the next six months, according to Bulgarian media. Sporting and the Italian club have already reached an agreement on the deal and Bojinov is expected to sign his contract with Lecce on Monday, gong.bg has reported. ...

The fate of disgraced Bulgarian Sporting Lisbon forward Valeri Bojinov seems clearer, after manager Dominigos Paciencia said he has referred the case to the club's owners. "I do not care about Bojinov any more. This hase is not important - we're thinking about our next game....