The teams Guide Stop and Organized Cleanliness shared the first place in BTA's hackathon on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Cities in Gabrovo on Wednesday The competition was organized within the framework of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project The task of the hackathon was to develop an innovative ecological solution to improve the management of a key system in Gabrovo The participants from six teams had 45 minutes to formulate the idea and present it to the jury The criteria by which the projects were evaluated were applicability of the idea social acceptability and originality of presentation The event was attended by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev Gabrovo Mayor Tanya Hristova and Gabrovo Technical University Rector Prof Iliya Zhelezarov Zhelezarov thanked BTA for organising the hackaton at the Gabrovo Technical University and emphasised that it is a good opportunity for the development of the university He pointed out that Europe is in the Balkans and that the university is the place where people forge knowledge Valchev noted that the project has two main goals the first being to show both the contribution of the European Union to the development of Bulgaria and the other Balkan countries under various programmes and the contribution of Bulgarians and other peoples to the European Union "In the individual cities where we hold conferences and hackathons we are looking for our specific contribution to the entire European community" The second important aim of the hackaton is to show that Bulgaria is the European Union adding that young people do not need to move to the other end of Europe to realize an idea as it is absolutely possible to realize their ideas in Bulgaria Hristova pointed out that through the competition students will understand what it is to have the self-confidence to be part of Europe and to have the opportunity to live best and be highly competitive She noted that everyone should try to feel whether the people of Gabrovo succeed not only in asking Europe to give but also in trying to make the people of Gabrovo so that ideas and problems can turn into opportunities Natalia Ilieva from the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy was part of the jury She presented the professions threatened with extinction and new jobs created by the development of AI “The introduction of AI inevitably introduces changes in the structure of the labor market It is wrong to believe that its introduction will affect only those groups with lower education and qualifications studies believe that highly educated people with high specialization will be most affected" nearly BGN 400 million have been allocated for retraining and acquiring new skills in Bulgaria with over 160,000 people in the country expected to be included in training noted that the news agency has been implementing a project with the support of the European Commission for the third consecutive year to promote cohesion policy our focus is on the knowledge necessary for the new reality offered by digitalization and the green transition Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages Krasimir Mitev stands besides the remains of his home in Gabrovo Story by Denise HrubyPhotographs by Arno Friebes Bulgaria — When rocks crashed through the windows of their home the bathroom seemed the safest place to hide the family of Vasil Velichkow Hristov — including his six young grandchildren — listened as an angry mob chanted threats and racial slurs according to several people who were nearby at the time Once a positive example of integration of the ethnic Roma community in Bulgaria, the northern central city of Gabrovo has been engulfed by racist violence and anti-Roma protests since April 10 For four consecutive nights ethnic Bulgarians took to the cobblestone streets to demand that Gabrovo be cleansed of its Roma community burning to the ground their belongings and leaving the lives they had built here in ruins A family’s window was damaged by anti-Roma protesters Standing in front of the burnt-out shell of the home he built five years ago Krasimir Mitev gestured to the clothes he was wearing Walking through the house’s charred interior his table and his TV had stood just days before the authorities instructed the Roma to flee according to several members of the community and Roma rights activists a regional coordinator for Roma rights NGO Amalipe estimates that around 80 percent of Gabrovo’s roughly 600 Roma complied How many have or might still return is uncertain — some A Roma family searches through rubble after part of their home was destroyed Gabrovo's municipal government started to tear down structures it claims were illegally built by Roma media and general population have long used the ethnic minority as a punching bag for social and economic issues Rising nationalism and populism have driven Bulgaria’s Roma farther to the fringes of society with some politicians neglecting to protect their access and right to housing Lawmakers are using anti-Roma sentiment and rhetoric to mobilize voters ahead of European Parliament elections later this month and municipal elections later in the year legal director of NGO Equal Opportunities Initiative Association who has spent her career working for equal rights for the Roma minority While the Roma frequently face belligerent hatred and discrimination “it is even worse before elections,” Mihaylova told CNN in her office in Sofia “because it is so easy to catch the average Bulgarian with this topic.” The recent protests in Gabrovo were triggered by widely circulated surveillance footage showing men identified as Roma allegedly instigating a fight at a late-night convenience store Venzislav Borislavov Ivanov says he was pulled into a fight involving men identified as Roma Roma men allegedly instigated a fight at this store in Gabrovo “I didn’t think that the incident would reach such a wide public,” Venzislav Borislavov Ivanov an employee who says he was pulled into the fight told CNN days later as he sat down to breakfast with his daughter “The problems with the Roma have piled up over the last years with the Roma portrayed as violent thugs who were threatening the safety of the entire city the deputy prime minister who is in charge of Roma integration said on Facebook that the residents of Gabrovo wanted to live in a city “cleansed of gypsies” without having to fear being “attacked by drunken or drugged gypsies.” interior minister Mladen Marinov told CNN he had just installed a new police chief in the city to help solve the “communication issues” which had led to this “conflict.” He said all citizens needed to abide by the law and added that some of the Roma had lived in their homes illegally speaks to demonstrators outside the town hall “We do everything in our power to not have vigilantism adding that at least three men who had set Roma houses on fire had been charged as have the three ethnic Roma involved in the store fight Marinov also categorically denied that anyone had incited violence against the Roma “This isn’t an issue to play around with — it could start a fire that can’t be extinguished,” he said adding that any politician who “sows hatred” could face legal consequences The only Bulgarian politician ever charged in connection with hate speech against the Roma was former deputy prime minister Valeri Simeonov who referred to members of the community as “arrogant presumptuous and ferocious humanoids.” Despite the comments he remained in government — and was even appointed head of a national council responsible for the integration of Roma and Turkish people in Bulgaria While failing to call out Bulgaria specifically, in a statement to mark International Roma Day this year, the European Commission warned that “antigypsyism” was on the rise and criticized extreme speeches and the spread of hate speech and fake news Roma women clean up debris in front of their home inflammatory statements against the Roma community have gradually become normalized in Bulgaria an associate professor at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences who has researched hate speech against Roma “Always before the elections — especially if the rating of the right and conservative parties has fallen or is low — a ‘conflict’ arises on the basis of a domestic incident that is ‘ridden’ by a right-wing leader,” Pamporov says The only time Roma weren’t the punching bag when hatred and aggression were targeted at Syrian refugees instead A demonstrator walks across the town hall square in Gabrovo While about a dozen people gathered in support of peace and Bulgarian unity in front of the mayor’s office last week the vast majority of people CNN spoke to seemed to agree that any Roma who lived in housing that lacked proper permits or wasn’t officially registered as a resident of Gabrovo ought to leave the city Roma representatives say only a small group within the community lacked such documents and pointed to institutional discrimination that often made it impossible to obtain them Shortly after he was installed as Gabrovo’s new police chief Borislav Muerov told CNN in mid-April that he would coordinate with the municipality to evict Roma who were not properly registered CNN reached out to the municipal council in Gabrovo for comment about the anti-Roma violence but did not receive a response to our questions Krasimir Mitev stands in the remains of his home Mitev’s home was set on fire in the recent protests “We’ve made one step forward,” Todorov of NGO Amalipe who has worked for decades to desegregate Gabrovo’s schools Todorov worries how many families might never return to Gabrovo how many of their children will never have an opportunity to learn to read and write alongside their Bulgarian peers and how many of those who do come back to the city might be evicted in the future they had boarded up the broken windows on the ground floor of the house and covered those upstairs with plastic sheets saying that his children were too traumatized to return to school an excavator worked to tear down a small shed the family had built to store clothes and food supplies Dust from the rubble thrown up by the demolition work blew in their faces Hristov showed his lease agreement and documents confirming that he was born in Gabrovo and has lived here his entire life commemorating marriages and the birth of children and grandchildren “We’ve never had any problems with the Bulgarians,” he said Social services Culture Spatial planning Administrative services Home/ news Those wishing to donate funds can do so to the following bank accounts: Terms of use Common emergency number - 112 Public transport within the city Public transport within the municipality Tourist information center Ruse The discussion is preceded by an introduction to the functions and programme of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center by Margarita Dorovska and followed by a guided tour in the exhibition From Darkness to Light in the Bulgarian Pavilion Venue: courtyard of the Bulgarian Pavilion © 2023 The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Center organizational development and architectural competition planning receives technical support from Ramboll Management Consulting through the “Support to New European Bauhaus Local Initiatives” Programme of the European Commission The event is realized with support from America for Bulgaria Foundation An inspiring conversation organised by Rolex Partner and Official Timepiece of the Biennale Architettura 2025 between the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Anne Lacaton and Arine Aprahamian followed by a screening of her first documentary Contact us Press Office Subscribe to the Newsletter and get the latest info on our programmes and initiatives Subscribe Gabrovo Municipality is situated in central Bulgaria at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains and covers an area of approximately 556 km² with a population of 62,763 inhabitants Over 50% of Gabrovo’s territory is covered in forest with beech-trees being the most dominant species One third of the territory is a Natura 2000 designated area and it also contains parts of two natural parks It has a strategic location and proximity to the geographic centre of the country and acts as a key transport junction with one of the most important road links passing through Gabrovo connecting Bulgaria from North to South The town is home to one of the largest technical and science universities in Bulgaria Through its cooperation with the business sector the University of Gabrovo is a key player in the local economic development of the city Key industries in Gabrovo which contribute to the local economy are weaving engineering production and technological development Gabrovo’s local government has been one of the leading Bulgarian local authorities involved in the implementation of energy efficiency and clean technologies and has created partnerships and joint initiatives with local businesses This has resulted in initiatives focused on the provision of modern transport connections and modern maintenance of Urban Green Areas (UGA) which involve citizens in the process The City is also a member of various international networks Gabrovo’s future vision is to be a city of smart with community participatory involvement and the provision of modern public infrastructure This vision aims to improve the quality of its transport tourism and urban environment sectors to provide a better quality of life for its citizens and allow it to develop in to a modern European City Gabrovo - 1-Year Report EGLA Technical Assessment Report Award Cycle 2021 Video of Awards Ceremony Photos from Awards Ceremony BG | EN Every third resident of Gabrovo Province is over the age of 65 The region has a significantly unfavorable demographic situation in 2023 ranking just after the last province in this category—Vidin The natural increase is twice as low as the national average while the poverty level is among the lowest in the country The data is from the “Regional Profiles: Development Indicators” study for 2024 conducted by the Institute for Market Economics (IME) the gross annual salary is just over 17,000 levs fewer people live below the poverty line compared to the national average the gross domestic product continued to grow Gabrovo has long been known as the region with the highest amount of funds absorbed through EU programs Almost 5,000 levs per person have been disbursed to beneficiaries through operational programs with the municipality of Gabrovo receiving the most funds Foreign direct investments in the region reach 4,400 euros per person placing the province fourth in the country for this indicator The share of income from product exports (29%) also significantly exceeds the national average (40%) which is understandable given that the region is highly export-oriented Gabrovo is among the top three regions in healthcare performance The average life expectancy of residents in the province is increasing and is very close to the national average The number of general practitioners per capita is also high but there is a shortage of specialist doctors which likely causes many residents to seek medical assistance in neighboring provinces The number of hospital beds is below the national averages pharmacies are sufficient to meet the demand and needs the working-age population in Gabrovo is third lowest in the country after Vidin and Yambol The natural increase rate is the second lowest in the country (after Vidin) at -15.1‰ (compared to -6.8‰ nationwide) Only the mechanical growth rate is positive (3.6 per thousand) which is wholly insufficient to compensate for the natural decline The deepening trend of aging is clearly visible in the age structure of the population The share of children under four years old is 3.5% (compared to 4.5% nationally) while the proportion of people over 65 is 30.3% (compared to 23.8% nationally) the region has a relatively high percentage of workers with secondary education—61% education does not meet the needs of businesses with little or no effective action taken to address it The alignment between vocational education and the economic profile is below 40% Businesses have long demanded training that matches the demand for professions yet vocational high schools continue to offer the same profiles every year it is no surprise that a very small percentage of graduates work in their field of study Exam scores from the matriculation and external assessments are below the national averages; comforting is the fact that failing grades are also low The picture of security in the region is characterized by few policemen and rising crime rates there are four police officers for every thousand residents which is slightly below the national average the number of crimes against individuals and thefts is increasing while the detection rate for crimes is declining it is somewhat reassuring that the solved crimes rate (69%) is still higher than the national average (53%) The roads in Gabrovo Province that can be said to be in good condition are few with nearly 90% of waste recycled compared to under 80% nationwide Cultural and tourism life is among the most vibrant securing the province a place in the top five in this category in 2023 A key reason for this is the exceptionally high number of museum visits—3,544 per thousand residents in the region (compared to 770 per thousand in the entire country) Theater attendance is also relatively high Visits to libraries and cinemas are increasing but they do not reach the national average per capita Accommodation facilities are also underutilized with overnight stays in tourist establishments being half those recorded nationwide The population of Gabrovo Province in 2023 is 94,862 people The province covers an area of 2,023 square kilometers and includes four municipalities and 349 populated places Almost 80% of the population resides in the towns of Gabrovo „За истината“ спазва Eтичния кодекс на българските медии. За нас | Контакти | Подаване на сигнал | Дарения | Партньори | Условия за ползване | Политика за бисквитките „За истината“ © 2024. Някои права запазени A 6-year-old child fell this morning from the sixth floor of a block of flats in Gabrovo The police confirmed the case to BTA and specified that it was an accident Tota Venkova" Multi-profile Hospital for Active Treatment in Gabrovo with many fractures The police also announced that an inspection was carried out and an investigation is underway under the supervision of the District Prosecutor's Office in Gabrovo More news from Bulgaria the Czech artist and folklorist Ludvík Kuba travelled to Bulgaria with one goal in mind: to explore the country's rich song heritage The melodies he collected were published in a separate volume of his Slavic Song. the feasts of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are related holidays From Lazarus Saturday  (Lazarovden in Bulgaria) which is performed on the morning of Palm Sunday In April and May the visitors of the Strelcha Historical Museum will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the traditions connected with the Easter holiday cycle through the exhibition A Fine Easter english@bnr.bg Setting up energy communities in Bulgaria has been made possible by recent legislative changes 0 Bulgaria’s first energy community is expected to develop its renewable energy plant in an investment valued at BGN 180,000 (EUR 92,000) Eligible to take part in the project are individuals The Gabrovo energy community will include both citizens and legal entities The financial participation of an individual or legal entity can be no less than BGN 500 (EUR 255) and no more than BGN 5,000 (EUR 2,550) according to a statement from the municipality The call is open until January 31 or until the necessary funds are raised an energy community is a group of legal entities and individuals who together produce energy from renewable sources the first being open only to participants registered on the territory of the municipality of Gabrovo and the second to participants from other regions of Bulgaria The city is located in the country’s central part The project comes less than two months after the adoption of changes to Bulgaria’s Law on Energy that introduced energy communities. Bulgaria’s Energy from Renewable Sources Act, which was also amended recently regulates the establishment and operation of citizen energy communities President Radev seeks to overturn the laws so as to protect agricultural land and consumers The Bulgarian parliament passed the two bills in a bid to avoid losing access to funds from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility due to controversies over a number of provisions President Rumen Radev is trying to overturn them both Radev has referred the renewables law to the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria to prevent the use of agricultural land for electricity production and has refused to sign the changes to the energy law over the lack of a mechanism to protect consumers Be the first one to comment on this article 05 May 2025 - The Trebinje 3 photovoltaic plant would have an installed capacity of 53.63 MW and an estimated annual production of 85.5 GWh 05 May 2025 - VDE Renewables found that SolarEdge’s advanced safety capabilities minimize photovoltaic system risks and effectively prevent fire hazards 02 May 2025 - The project is located in Constanța county recognized for its superior yields in green energy production 02 May 2025 - The Sunčana (Sunny) Vipava project envisages installing solar power plants with a combined capacity of 20 MW © CENTER FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008-2020 website developed by ogitive Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Empty corridors and only eight babies in their cribs The maternity ward in the city of Gabrovo tells you everything you need to know about the drastic drop in the birth rate in Bulgaria Obituary announcements overwhelm the entrance of the cemetery of the village of Ablanitsa engineers and architects are giving a second life to communist-built apartment blocks in Central and Eastern Europe One of the oldest residents of one of the tallest building in Gabrovo city At nearly 90 years old and "still obsessed" with how things fit together Hristov has lived in the block since it was built three decades ago before the arrival of energy efficiency standards in Bulgaria this 16-storey tower block was typical of the apartment buildings that dominate the skyline of not just Gabrovo but cities across Central and Eastern Europe Hristov's block is warm and dry and energy bills in the block are half what they used to be The change is down to a full energy retrofit of the tower It required getting the agreement of every resident in the block to proceed – but "A final few had us like a slow roast on a spit," he says "But there are 80 families here and even with full funding some people As one of the first blocks to be renovated in Gabrovo the tower signaled the start of a slow change to the post-industrial city And Gabrovo's transformation is in turn part of a change happening across hundreds of cities in the region as post-communist countries look to upgrade their crumbling apartment blocks As climate change puts pressure on cities to use less energy to heat and cool buildings and to help insulate residents against temperature extremes the race to retrofit these apartment blocks is only getting more urgent The House of the Soviets and other much loved painful ruinsMonolithic skylines have become symbolic in Central and Eastern European cities While brutalist apartments can be found in many parts of Europe the rapid urbanisation of former-communist countries in the second half of the 20th Century means large concrete blocks make up a high proportion of their building stock today Though there were several evolutions of design – from the prefabricated panel blocks to modernist towers – they usually had something in common: bare outer walls made of concrete or brick professor of architectural conservation at the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture says that modernist housing blocks in Central and Eastern Europe usually don't receive the same level of public stigma as those in Western cities But as the blocks age and become inadequate in terms of energy efficiency there's the question of what to do with them – demolish or retrofit found that tearing down blocks to rebuild similar housing in the country would cost three to four times more than even an intense retrofit That said, more data is needed to fully understand the picture, Tsanev says, especially on energy efficiency. Most of the blocks fall into EU energy classes E, F and G – the worst performing bands "The unsuccessful proposals represent time and money the residents put into their buildings," he says They all would have had to obtain 100% consent from neighbours and would have spent money on a technical and energy audits "Residents end up disenchanted with renovation the wave of energy retrofits will only take shape with easy streamlined involvement for residents and "fairer" financial mechanisms The Bulgarian government was contacted for comment but did not reply by the time of publication a restaurant is packed with locals at lunchtime Diners share plates of grilled kebapche (a type of sausage) and talk over house music on radio N-JOY "We wanted to apply," says one diner who lives in one of the flats above requesting anonymity because of the tense nature of the subject in the neighbourhood "The majority of us were in agreement [to seek full state funding for a retrofit] but a few hold-outs wouldn't bite." but it didn't work," says another diner who lives in a block down the boulevard which was unsuccessful in getting funding "We want to be more energy efficient so we will just do it ourselves." She says she will insulate her apartment with wraparound external insulation To buffer an individual flat in this piecemeal way is something Tzveta Naniova "It can scupper a building application down the line," she says "People want to save money and are frustrated with the uncertain grant cycle," she says Naniova is the owner of a "one-stop shop" in the capital of Sofia The aim of the shops – a lynchpin of the European Union's plan for buildings – is to act as the first point of contact for residents to get up to speed with retrofit requirements and give them easy access to the contacts involved "Not everyone should have to get a degree in engineering or architecture," she says "We have experts in the field,” she says of her colleagues must move away from requiring 100% resident support She also believes Bulgaria should move towards a more market-based model "There is not enough state money to finance all the renovations," she says Naniova points to Lithuania as an example of good practice such as the city of Vilnius and the "renovation capital" Marijampolé "The country changed from a grant-only approach and instead harnessed public funding to de-risk the private investment," says Naniova "But what helps the most is that the loan is connected to the building "[Lithuania] got started 10 years ago and we are trying to catch up," agrees Tsanev "Without attractive loans to be paid back from energy savings we cannot expect people to accept the changes." For Bulgaria full grant support for apartment dwellers with low income (The Bulgarian government was contacted for comment but did not reply by the time of publication.) "We need to be faster," says Lauri Lihtmaa, an expert at the Net Zero Energy Research Group at Tallinn in Estonia. The rate for deep renovations, largely defined as buildings that improve the energy efficiency by at least 60% Prefabricated technologies could spur the rate, Lihtmaa believes. In the Estonian city of Tartu's Annelinn neighbourhood, a deep renovation project has experimented with factory-made facades and used a crane rather than scaffolding to install them in the Baltic country's northern city of Saue insulated a building with prefabricated panels made from re-used recycled and locally based bio-based materials in order to reduce their environmental impact Another option would be to renovate whole districts at once A model for district-based renovation is more ambitious as it would increase the role of the local municipality and need more involvement from residents but it could be a "unique opportunity for greater volumes" of retrofits District-level renovation is already planned in some cities which was one of the first mass-produced housing projects under Soviet occupation Hristo Hristov believes a model for renovating the blocks needs to include other improvements And though he admits that going up and down the floors to check renovations lost him the full use of his knees "the effort was something worthwhile to leave behind" Tsanev feels Hristov's achievement is bittersweet "His story should be the rule not the exception Seven images that transformed our world viewWatch how the maps and images of our planet from above have changed over the last two millennia. Ten striking images of an Earth scarred by humansFrom a shipwrecking yard in Bangladesh to a river of iron dioxide in Canada, a deep dive in Ed Burtynsky's work. Bovine language: Studying how cows talk to each otherLeonie Cornips, a sociolinguist at the Meertens Institute in Amsterdam, turns her attention from humans to cows. Raja the elephant asking for a road tollIn Sri Lanka, a charming elephant cheekily halts traffic for treats.  Inside the hidden world of rhino romanceWatch two rhinoceroses involved in a game of 'kiss and chase'. A mother tiger on a fierce hunt to feed her cubsWhile her three offspring take a leisurely bath, this Bengal tiger mother must find food for the entire family. How foxes outsmart world's heaviest raptor in quest for foodWatch red foxes challenge the Steller's sea eagle, the world's heaviest raptor, as they search for food in Japan. Mum saves baby seal with a clever trickWatch as David Attenborough reveals the unique behaviour of a mother seal to protect her pup in icy waters. Mountain goats: A death-defying battle to mateWatch the world's largest species of goat fight for the right to mate, teetering on the edge of perilous drops. The near miraculous escape of a cave swiftThe Tam Nam Lod Cave is home to over a quarter of a million swifts. But there are hidden dangers. These animal photos won funniest of the yearThe Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards held their annual ceremony, crowning the funniest animal photos of 2024. Meet the mudskipper: The remarkable fish that lives on landThe mudskipper is a fish that can leap with a flick of its tail. Watch a particularly agile specimen in action. Watch the dramatic escape of tiny fish from deadly sharksThe Moorish idol, a dramatic little fish with dazzling stripes, adopts a clever strategy to save its life. How 17 wild New York turkeys took over VermontWildlife biologists released a few wild turkeys in Vermont in 1969. There's now a thriving population of 45,000. Earth tides: Why our planet's crust has tides tooHow do they differ from the ocean? A geophysicist breaks it down for us. Inside the world's largest hurricane simulatorAt the University of Miami, a large indoor air-sea interaction test facility measures the impact of storms. In Australia, sea lions help researchers map the ocean floorResearchers in Australia put cameras on sea lions' backs to help them map the elusive ocean floor. The deadly plants hiding in your gardenThe Poison Garden at the Alnwick Garden has around 100 toxic, intoxicating, and narcotic plants. The scientists drilling into an active Icelandic volcanoScientists are preparing to drill into the rock of an Icelandic volcano to learn more about how volcanoes behave. Earth's spectacular and remote 'capital' of lightningWith storms occurring between 140 to 160 nights a year, it's no wonder the area is a world record holder. In 1956, Commander "Buster" Crabb disappeared during a visit to the UK by Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev. In 2006, a BBC reporter read the files that detailed his secret mission. Grip strength is associated with a range of health outcomes, from type 2 diabetes to depression. Here’s how to check yours. Invented to satiate pregnancy cravings, Dubai chocolate is a rare combination of creativity, flavours and social media success that has broken all industry records. Astronomers have spotted around a dozen of these weird, rare blasts. Could they be signs of a special kind of black hole? For just two weeks each spring, a rare violet artichoke is harvested by hand on Venice's northern islands – and locals go to great lengths to keep it authentic. The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students The Bulgarian city is once again testing its pioneering spirit in the local context Climate adaptation is a term that has yet to gain wide recognition It could be partially because the country has been spared the extreme drought and fires that have plagued the rest of Southern Europe for the past two years the past winters have been uncharacteristically dry in the Balkan country as well As part of its goal to stay ahead of the curve Gabrovo has started its partnership and participation in an EU project called SOTERIA (SOlutions TEsting for Regions through Insurance for Climate Adaptation) together with the cities of Athens and Valencia Adaptation is the name of the game in all spheres of life And this is what underlies this project as well which takes the innovative task of trying out new incentivization methods for preventive measures in communities by offering them more appealing insurance deals The project partners will test insurance products and services that reward proactive prevention measures while seeking to increase coverage through co-designed solutions They will also consider the enabling framework that analyses the role of public sector modernisation and how to develop affordable insurance schemes that leave no one behind The project’s focus will be on the main risks and needs to prevent natural disasters such as floods The partner cities will have access to a variety of tools and practices to create insurance-aware communities Gabrovo will have the chance and a mission to raise awareness about this overlapping area of climate action and economic development The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital The Summer in Humor Initiative opens on July 15 at the Museum of Humor and Satire in Gabrovo The initiative will take place over two consecutive weeks from July 15 to 20 with various activities planned for every day of the event including creative workshops and games aimed at acquiring new skills and knowledge "The Museum team has many years of extensive experience in implementing educational programmes for children which is through humour to inspire and encourage children to feel joy express themselves freely and build a feeling of community," Mihailova said “The Major Challenge Facing the Four Municipalities in the Gabrovo Region Is How to Stop the Outflow of Young People to Major Cities This Issue is Evident in the Municipal Youth Plans Which Aim to Address the Problem and Outline How Local Authorities Intend to Combat It municipalities are required to adopt youth plans at the beginning of each year which defines ‘young people’ as those aged between 15 and 29 Given the age range that these plans must cover they include data on young individuals in schools as well as those already in the labor market municipalities are expected to outline specific steps through their plans to create conditions for learning and employment for the youth Various initiatives are indeed presented in these plans; however the effectiveness of some remains questionable Notably absent is any attempt to align vocational education with the needs of the local economy One of the reasons young people leave is the imbalance between education and the labor market This conclusion is supported by the ‘Regional Profiles’ analysis from the Institute for Market Economics The alignment between vocational education and the economic profile in the Gabrovo region is weak—39.2% (compared to 53.1% nationwide) in 2023 This is notable for a region that ranks second in the country and where foreign direct investment reaches €4,400 per person placing the region among the top four in this regard The value of production in the Gabrovo region is estimated at BGN 103,600 per employee Gabrovo has the worst demographic profile in the country after Vidin according to the Institute for Market Economics and more young individuals are seeking opportunities outside the region A negligible percentage of graduates find work in their field This applies equally to the regional city and the other three municipalities—Sevlievo and Tryavna—of which only Sevlievo has a strong economy there are 992 individuals aged 15 to 29 residing in the municipality a figure that is half of what it was twenty years ago indicating a persistent decline in birth rates The municipality has two primary and two secondary schools with one primary school in the town of Plachkovtsi serving only 28 children.” “One high school is a general education institution while the other is the National High School of Applied Arts ‘Trevnenska School.’ After finishing seventh grade according to the town’s annual youth plan approved by the local Municipal Council at the beginning of this year Those who remain often ‘start the first available job and hospitality.’ Half of the graduates do not work in their field The youth plan for the municipality of Dryanovo states roughly the same: ‘Young people face challenges entering the labor market due to a lack of practical and work experience in their field of study and are demotivated by the offered wages.’ The plan also mentions something that has been known for years—there is a mismatch between the actual demand for labor and the real supply of workers One reason for this is the ‘lowered level of qualifications,’ according to the municipal administration in Dryanovo this means that vocational education does not adequately prepare graduates who can immediately start working and meet employers’ requirements The municipality has one secondary school and a vocational high school focused on economics it has accepted students for specializations in ‘Tourism and Leisure Organization’ and ‘Machines and Systems with CNC’—a dual education model that includes an expanded study of English under a quarter of vocational high school graduates find work in their specialization according to the youth plan for 2025 that is set to be discussed and approved by the city’s Municipal Council Despite being one of the major economic centers in the region concentrated with large manufacturing companies there has been a shortage of workers for years amidst three existing vocational high schools According to data from the local municipal administration half of those who graduated in 2024 from the Vocational High School of Transport and Mechanical Engineering in the village of Gradnitsa are unemployed Gabrovo is the only town in the region with a higher education institution—the Technical University—but even there ‘retaining young people is a challenge due to salaries that meet their expectations,’ states the local youth plan for 2024 (the one for 2025 has yet to be approved It is evident that there is a discrepancy between what employers are seeking and what high schools are providing even though the Gabrovo region ranks second after Ruse in terms of the number of students engaged in dual education popularly known as ‘learning through work.’ In Ruse 32% of students participate in dual education synchronizing high school admissions with the needs of the local economy is a feasible step It could be included in the municipal youth plans and would represent a practical measure towards providing opportunities for young people in the region instead of complex jargon mimicking commitment this is precisely what is not being done; Gabrovo leads in terms of an aging population candidates for power compete to discuss deteriorating demographic trends their rhetoric halts after taking office and resumes during the next election cycle vocational high schools in the region have been offering admissions to the same fields of study thus producing graduates over the years who will never work in their trained professions—even those with dual education which enhances their experience with practical training.” the professions with the highest enrollment are ‘Transport Technician,’ ‘Electronic Technician,’ and ‘Computer Systems Technician.’ However businesses are seeking three different specialists: ‘Machine Technician,’ ‘Livestock Worker,’ and ‘Economist’ (according to data from the Institute for Market Economics) What municipalities can do right now (not just the four in Gabrovo as this issue is widespread) is analyze the employment outcomes of their young people who graduated from vocational high schools locally A study on the needs of local industries would serve as the ideal guideline for the next enrollment plan There will be ample opportunity to advocate for new specializations leading to training that will provide tangible benefits If municipalities continue to produce youth plans annually that essentially repeat one another we will continue to discuss regions with aging populations Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A warning code yellow for heavy rain and possible local flooding has been issued for tomorrow 27 September in six regions of the country – the regions of Pleven According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology the rainfall may reach up to 30 litres per sq Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7 The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry.. people will be able to withdraw money  from ATMs only in the new currency according to the website of the Bulgarian. helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day. Funding has been secured for the European programs “Care at Home” and “Hot Meal” revitalising and protecting the environment are among the priorities of Gabrovo municipality.” Tanya Hristova was born on 19 July 1971 in Pleven She obtained a master’s degree of English philology and Finance from „St Methodius“ University of Veliko Tarnovo She specialized in the domain of project and programme management From 2008 to 2010 she was a Deputy Mayor for „Sustainable development“ of Gabrovo Municipality In 2010 and 2011 she worked as a chief of the political office of the Minister of EU funds manager of the Central coordination unit and a Secretary of the council of control and management of EU funds Tanya Hristova was the Mayor of Gabrovo Municipality in the period 2011-2015 and was re-elected for a second mandate at the local elections in October 2015 she is the leader of the Bulgarian delegation of the local authorities at the Committee of the regions in Brussels and a full member of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget and Commission for Social Policy Gabrovo municipality is one of the first Bulgarian municipalities approved for green public procurements Could you tell us more about this good practice that’s gaining steam both here revitalising and protecting the environment are among the priorities of Gabrovo municipality Over the last few years we have been focusing on the implementation of policies aimed at sustainable development of our technological and ecological infrastructure energy efficiency measures and overall application of approaches that help us establish ourselves as a “green municipality” One of the ways we achieve our goals is precisely via the “Green public procurements” Integrating eco-friendly approaches and resource efficiency into public procurements allows us to use them as a policy-making tool instead of as simple means of purchasing goods or services It’s important to note that green public procurements provide additional economic and ecological added value to the process of public spending.  In order to gain experience and knowledge in this area of expertise we participated in some international projects We successfully completed the SPP-Regions project The participants and their networks announced 29 public procurements in different fields Gabrovo municipality announced 4 of them and tried to use the models by which they are granted for other national and international projects and initiatives.  Gabrovo municipality took part in a network for sustainable and innovative public procurements in which partners share their experience we were approved and integrated into the “Green public procurements and sustainable tools for the integration of resource efficiency” project we’re participating in the partnership for Sustainable public procurements where we work with the goal of improving legislature financing and knowledge in the area of green public procurements we have already completed projects with added ecological value including the first passive kindergarten and the renovation of “Saints Cyril and Methodius” Secondary School We greatly improved the healthiness of the school’s environment by introducing automatically controlled valves for the building’s joinery by planning a maximum amount of water that can pass through its faucets and other such measures that save resources and help hit ecological targets We also announced a public procurement for electrical buses based on a principle task to allow for competition of different technologies which further enhances competition and stimulates innovation we’re aiming to raise the percentage of public procurements that include criteria involving environmental protection Gabrovo was recognised as one of the best beneficiary cities in the EU in an initiative by MEPs Gabrovo was notified that it had been recognised as one of the best beneficiary cities in the EU in an initiative by MEPs The bearer of these tidings was Andrey Novakov MEP who personally brought us the excellency certificate The European parliament initiative “Let the stars shine” aimed to bring attention to the rich palette of inspiring actions projects and initiatives that are being carried out across Europe Three Bulgarian projects were recognised in the initiative amongst which was Gabrovo’s Integrated water cycle project.  When giving the award Andrey Novakov stated that Gabrovo has yet again proven itself a role-model for investment of EU funds The city’s water project was Bulgaria’s entry into the exhibition commemorating 30 years of Cohesion policy presented in the European Parliament in Strasbourg and was an example of 28 successfully completed projects in the EU Gabrovo’s water project was presented as a role-model for investment of European funds and as one of the 28 successful projects during an exhibition in the European Parliament in Strasbourg dedicated to 30 years of Cohesion Policy Tell us more about the project and the changes it brought to your citizens Gabrovo has received many awards and recognitions that have inspired us to always be active successful and confident when developing our ecological infrastructure and when implementing modern solutions that protect the environment The water project is a courageous investment of great magnitude in the water sector that not only brought about much needed improvements to infrastructure but also contributed to environmental protection and preservation of the balance of nature our purification plants for drinkable water and sewage have been completely reconstructed we secured additional investments and laid out new asphalt on 100 streets covered by the project The new infrastructure greatly improved our WSS - enhanced water distribution reducing water loss by more than half thanks to the rehabilitation of 85 km of pipelines; eco-friendly management of sewage waters and environmental protection thanks to the replacement of 19 km of already existing sewers and construction of 17 additional km; improving the connectivity to the city’s main purification plant by including 3 more neighbourhoods by employing large-scale engineering solutions to the city’s WSS sector eco-friendly and reliable infrastructure of a new generation Numerous are the implemented and planned municipal projects co-financed by the EU What advice would you give to your colleagues from Bulgaria and Europe who hesitate to apply for European funding and support I will give them the following example – in just a single year /2015/ with a financial framework of nearly 40 million leva Gabrovo managed to invest in projects 10 times as much as it was able to with just its municipal budget Gabrovo found the solutions to problems that were impossible to solve on a municipal budget – the best example for that is the city’s Water project The support provided by the EU for Bulgarian citizens has considerably improved their lives in many areas But the next programming period will also feature projects Bulgaria will still be receiving substantial aid this time focusing on young people and education Municipalities and regions have to continue using EU funding in order to create better conditions for their citizens and support their development you are also the leader of the Bulgarian delegation of local authorities in the Committee of the Regions member of the Committee on Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget How do you handle so many responsibilities I’ll be honest – it’s hard to achieve this very important balance and more often than not my private life as a wife and mother suffers due to my professional and social commitment and responsibilities Let me use this opportunity to thank my family for their understanding The most important thing that has motivated me and continues to motivate me has been my feeling of duty to the job – I wholeheartedly devote my energy and my love to it and I never forget that the people have given me a mission and I can’t ever rest from it One last thing - it would be great if you invited the citizens of Europe to the Carnival in Gabrovo 2019 The carnival is the event we’re most proud of and everyone here is looking forward to it It’s the oldest and richest of carnivals in Bulgaria Participants in the event number over 2500 and are divided into 80-100 “pictures” The carnival also has a theme – it’s no coincidence that Gabrovo is called “The capital of humour” but also at others – we like telling people the truth We laugh at politicians – Bulgarian and foreign at social issues and more often than not at things that you shouldn’t be joking about we create parade floats that participate in the carnival Many Bulgarian politicians and celebrities have had their own floats – the prime-ministers It’s become a tradition for Gabrovo’s mayor to put on a disguise but a lot of other politicians and celebrities The carnival is the culmination of the International Festival of Humour in the city – a week filled with amazing events dedicated to laughter – theatre plays live cat exhibitions and tons of other initiatives On 17 May the International Biennial of Humour and Satire in Art will take place Gabrovo’s biennial is organised by the Museum of Humour and Satire and this year artists are invited to present their edgy interpretations of public life The exhibition will include contemporary art and caricature depicting public life common interests and other topics concerning the public dimension the International festival of Humour and the Carnival again defended their EFFE labels – a European label for quality A recognition that places alongside the biggest European festivals The citizens of Gabrovo invite you to the Carnival on 18 May but we advise everyone to dedicate their whole week in order to get the full dose of the medicine that cures all ailments – laughter Find out more about Gabrovo here BTA will publish the names of the top-of-the-list candidates of every party for all constituencies for the June 9 parliamentary elections The information about the candidates is provided by the respective party/coalition the candidates themselves and other official sources of information A total of 31 candidates’ lists of 21 parties and 10 coalitions have been registered by the Gabrovo Constituency Election Commission The order follows the sequential numbers on the ballots as drawn by the Central Election Commission: The traditional May holidays of the Bulgarian town of Gabrovo have started The main event is the Days of Humor and Satire which include a carnival on the first Saturday after the day of Gabrovo – May17 The motto of the carnival this year is "Gabrovo - my little Brussels" – a humoroushint at the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU Masquerades dating back to the beginning of the 20th century are also at the heart of the humorous carnival in Gabrovo The Carnival days are called "fifth season" This unique celebration of joy begins with cutting the cat’s tail because the accent in the humor of Gabrovo citizens is their proverbial frugalness People joke that they cut the tails of their cats so they can close the door faster after them and thus save from heating It is said that Gabrovo citizens put green glasses on their horses when they feed them wood fiber instead of grass The festival days in the Bulgarian "capital" of humor also include competitions Each year they attract many guests from Bulgaria and abroad Only on the Day of Bravery and Holiday of the Bulgarian Army (May 6) we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three of perhaps the most interesting machines from our outdoor exhibition Dozens of enthusiasts and nature lovers will kick off the 44th edition of the Move and Win campaign with a spring hike to Bozhur Hut The meeting point will be the Vladishki Bridge in Veliko Tarnovo The third edition of the Samardala Festival will be held on 3 May in the central square of Nova Zagora is used as a spice and is harvested at the peak of its flowering in May we will provide our visitors with the opportunity to enter three. The Carnival “Gabrovo – my little Brussels” starts today The most significant cultural event in Gabrovo is the annual Carnival This year the theme is “Gabrovo-my little Brussels” The organizer is Gabrovo Municipality and the big local event will be held on May 19 th in the beautiful Bulgarian city Gabrovo Municipality launched a special mobile application for Carnival 2018 It is free of charge and in the app you can find all you need about the Carnival –  the following program week the city map with all the important event points The app can find your location and show the events next to you It has also a news section to keep you inform for all the latest news The Museum House of Humour and Satire in Gabrovo celebrates its birthday with doors open day Gabrovo (Central North Bulgaria) is known as Bulgaria’s ‘capital of humour’ the town hosts the International Festival of Humour and Satire The festival goes back to the merry procession of disguised people and the masquerade balls from the early 20th century Irina Kitanova and Valentin Georgiev will start drawing caricatures live The cartoonists will entertain the museum’s visitors after 16 pm as well Ivaylo Tsvetkov is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable master cartoonists His cartoons can often be seen on the pages of popular printed press as a swift reaction to political events in Bulgaria and abroad Caricature focuses in itself the public outcry over politicians’ failure This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page There will be a carnival procession on the streets of Gabrovo again The two years of the pandemic thwarted the iconic event of the Bulgarian Capital of Humour and Satire but now it will flare up again to remind us that we need to look at the world with a smile The big city procession starts on May 21 at 6.30 pm Visitors will be able to see over 60 paintings in it participants and various artists in the field of satire have participated in its preparation After the end of the most colourful and cheerful carnival procession popular Bulgarian bands will play on the stage of Vazrazhdane Square abig light show in the sky over Gabrovo is scheduled for 10 pm the carnival mood continues with the festival "Street" in the pedestrian zone "Radetska" and in the afternoon the traditional Big Band parade will take place at Vazrazhdane square A pianist and conductor with a world-class career Ivan Yanakov has been performing on several continents for decades He has played as a soloist with prestigious orchestras in famous halls The Night of Musicals takes place tonight at the Vasil Levski Palace of Culture and Sports in Veliko Tarnovo The first major ballet event in the festive jubilee programme celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Stara Zagora Opera is the premiere of "Parisian Nights" HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? *This is a reprint of the Novinite.com article published on November 1, 2010. The article is reprinted on the occasion of Dilma Rousseff's first ever visit to Bulgaria on October 5-6 a hard-luck but endearing Bulgarian town at the foot of the central Balkans Small wonder that besides being regarded as the world's capital of humor it is the place of birth of many of Bulgaria's talented but prodigal children including artist Christo Yavashev and Dilma Rousseff's father Peter Peter Rousev was born in 1900 in the town of Gabrovo but left Bulgaria for both economic and political reasons (he was a communist) looking for a better job and a brighter future A century later the small town in central Bulgaria is caught up in the excitement of the presidential run-off in far-away Brazil the citizens of Gabrovo are already planning how to profit from Rousseff's link to the town saying Brazilian investors may learn a lot from them about crisis management The mayor Nikolay Sirakov has even suggested cooperation between Gabrovo spring carnival of humor and the carnival in Rio It will be no big surprise if Gabrovians find a way to draw dividends from Rousseff's links to the town In the past and nowadays being born in Gabrovo has been considered nothing short of a privilege Gabrovians are thrifty; know how to haggle and how to produce something out of nothing – a priceless lesson from their forefathers In times of crisis they resort to their incredible sense of humor - because they have nothing else – a talent which has inspired a plethora of jokes and legends The citizens of Gabrovo have come up with many famous inventions including the fashion of narrow trousers These people clip the tails of their cats to keep the room warmer and stop their watches at night to save hard wear on the cog-wheels Being some 220 km north-east from the city of Sofia it wont' take you more than three hours and fifteen levs to get there by bus (And it would be very unreasonable of you if you opt for the train.) Once you get there there are several places you must visit (Bear in mind though that Gabrovo is the longest town in Bulgaria yet reaching only 1 km in width at places.) The unique open-air museum Etar tops the list of places to visit Etar is an architectural and ethnographical complex where the Bulgarian Renaissance atmosphere is recreated by the old-time workshops of traditional Bulgarian art and crafts Every year it holds an international crafts fair and many others from top craftsmen from all over Bulgaria An interesting competition you can witness here is the contest for stitches from corn husk Another place that will take you back to the Renaissance spirit is the architectural and historical reserve of Bozhentsi This is the place to choose if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city or if you want to spend a romantic weekend A number of cosy and comfortable private hotels will offer you high quality services at reasonable prices Guests can enjoy their stay at the hotel complex stranopriemnitsa (Tavern) famous for its buns and various national dishes Legend has that Bozhentsi was founded by a woman with a name of a gift sent from heaven above who made his way to Bulgaria's folklore and became one of its best known and most loved characters who walked from the picturesque village of Bozhentsi to the nearby town of Gabrovo barefooted with his shoes under his arm - not to wear them out a 19th-century local of fabled abstemiousness Besides carrying his shoes on long walks and sitting in the dark to save wax Old Minyo was a heroically generous character At least the way Gabrovians understand this trait the rich tradesmen spent plenty of resources for the small town's public planning was founded in Gabrovo in 1835 with the aid of Vasil Aprilov and Nikolay Palauzov Gabrovo was officially proclaimed a town by the Ottoman authority in May 1860 By the late 19th century heavy industry transformed the town into what people here call "the Manchester of Bulgaria." and the town's most distinctive cultural landmark - the House of Humor and Satire – has turned in many ways into a neglected remnant of the former Soviet empire Still don't miss out on a visit to the House of Humor and Satire It was established in the 1970s by local leaders wanting to capitalize on the annual carnival a kind of comic Mardi Gras that was the biggest attraction in Gabrovo for outsiders Thousands of world famous humorists from more than 150 countries gather at the House of Humor and Satire during the biennial Festival of Humor and Satire It was conceived by Communist officials in a bid to cultivate an image of Bulgaria as a land The House became a sort of a window between two worlds Nowadays Gabrovians have set their sights on another world famous for its residents' legendary sense of humour the planet was first detected by the Russian astronaut Nikolay Chernih on April 1 Five years later the US Minor Planet Centre officially recognized planet Gabrovo In 1981 the municipality of Gabrovo in advance declared for honorary citizen the man who first steps on the small planet The enthusiasts will have to travel no less than three years to reach it a famous Bulgarian writer and a great friend of Gabrovo wrote once that laughter is the most stable currency of all Gabrovo's talented but prodigal children must have surely known they should never start out on a journey without it We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria world leaders issued a joint statement calling for "comprehensive" ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon as well as a "just and durable peace" for the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war Federal police in Brazil have launched an investigation following explosions in the capital that resulted in one fatality Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet service has announced that it will comply with a recent order from Brazil's Supreme Court to block access to Musk's social media platform is currently the clear favorite in Mexico's upcoming presidential election on June 2 Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro led a significant gathering in Sao Paulo on Sunday vehemently rejecting allegations of involvement in a coup plot to retain power have declared a flu epidemic from Monday due to an increase in morbidity following the earlier declaration in the Smolyan region Novinite is republishing another story by our reader Leon de Leeuw about his visit to city of Vidin in Northwestern Bulgaria Novinite is republishing another story by our reader Leon de Leeuw about his visit to the town of Chirpan in Central Bulgaria Novinite explored a holiday option that is far from the frenzy and fuss of big resorts It also brought us closer to a region in Slovenia the world knows little about Novinite is publishing for the first time the first impressions of Thomas Tait a former Chief Executive of the Nevada Commission on Tourism Novinite is republishing another story by our reader Leon de Leeuw not far from Bulgaria's capital Sofia and located at the border with Serbia Novinite is publishing the last of three articles about Morocco where a group of journalists was invited to spend more than a week in November Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase Here we are to serve you with news right now quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis you can have full digital access to all news Proces du 13-November : ce que ces hommes opaques ont dans la tete Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit Blanditiis optio incidunt eum omnis ratione error temporibus iure porro esse Integer consectetur quam eget ipsum dictum accumsan Donec non lectus id risus rutrum ullamcorper sit amet vel nulla Bulgaria's government is launching next week the tender for the construction of the beltway of the central city of Gabrovo the first step to the construction of the long-anticipated Shipka Pass Tunnel in Central Bulgaria Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova has announced which will include the design and construction of Gabrovo's ring road as well as the designing of the Shipka Pass Tunnel Pavlova revealed during a visit in the village of Lovnidol "The design of the Shipka Pass Tunnel is supposed to be completed parallel to the construction of the road circumventing the city of Gabrovo we hope that the construction of the road can start in the spring of next year," Pavlova explained adding that the construction of the tunnel will most likely begin after 2014 in the next programming period of the EU (2014-2020) Pavlova listed her ministry's priorities for infrastructure projects with EU funding for the next programming period of the EU – first the southwestern Struma Highway running from Sofia to the border with Greece; second the Hemus Highway running from Sofia to Varna in Northern Bulgaria; third which is supposed to help connect Northern and Southern Bulgaria of which Bulgarian governments have talked for ages is a major infrastructure project that is supposed to greatly facilitate the traffic and exchange between the northern and southern halves of the country The Shipka Pass Tunnel is supposed to become a crucial part of the Pan-European Transport Corridor No 9 connecting Helsinki in Finland with the Greek Mediterranean port Alexandroupolis The Shipka Pass Tunnel will thus provide a faster route from the Danube River to the Mediterranean Back in 2010, then as the Regional Development Minister, Bulgaria's current President Rosen Plevneliev stated the Shipka Pass Tunnel should be built by 2020. Bulgaria's Cabinet has already slated for the long-delayed construction of the Shipka Pass Tunnel a total of BGN 352 M from the EU money it is to receive from the Transport Operational Program for the next programming period (2014-2020). In March 2012, the project got an environmental permit. The Shipka Pass Tunnel was first initiated as a railway tunnel project in 1897 but was not materialized The Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Service received a report of lightning striking people in the area of Mount Kupena in Stara Planina a tragic accident on the ring road in Sofia resulted in the deaths of three individuals Snowfall blankets the Shipka Pass and the Republic Pass in Bulgaria significantly reducing visibility in the region A homeless man died because of the sub-zero temperatures in Kazanlak Two lost tourists were rescued as a result of the quick reaction of employees from the Kazanlak District Administration and a team of the Mountain Rescue Service all retailers in Bulgaria will be required to display prices in both leva and euros a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria has halted all its operations effective April 24 Wage growth in Bulgaria is projected at 9.3 percent for 2025 a 15.4 percent rise in the minimum wage since January The World Bank has revised down its forecast for Bulgaria’s economic growth in 2025 Bulgaria is approaching the final stages of preparation for transitioning card payments from the national currency Minister of Economy and Industry Petar Dilov held a meeting with Susan Falatko the Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Bulgaria on September 15 - the first school day in Bulgaria - the curious mind asks: why exactly on this date Why does the school year start on September 15 in Bulgaria The answer comes from historical references about the beginning and the end of the school year in the Bulgarian lands before and after the Liberation (Bulgaria's Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878– ed.) These reports regulations and other documents are kept in the National Museum of Education in Gabrovo "During the Renaissance in the monastery schools established in the 18th and early 19th centuries the school year was not linked to a specific date - says historian Veselin Lazarov - In some places it was taught only in winter and the school closed its doors only during church holidays the mutual tuition schools also did not have a specific date for the beginning and end of the school year.It mostly depended on for what period of time the teacher was hired Habitually the contracts were for the six months from St The first school laws were drawn up in the middle of the 19th century and established a more or less fixed school year It would start at the end of August or the beginning of September and end in June with school starting 2-3 months later for children who were engaged in farm work.The length of the school year was fixed at the teachers' and diocesan councils in the 1870s until the "Statute of rural schools" was drawn up at the 1873 Teachers' Congress in the town of Shumen the school year for rural schools should be 9 months The Congress decided that the primary education of children would be compulsory and that the school year would begin on 15 September immediately after the Day of the Holy Cross (14 September) "After the Liberation the tradition was continued - says Veselin Lazarov in an interview with Radio Bulgaria legislative acts established the basic guidelines and structure of school organisation - the very organisation that still exists today In 1879 the date of 1 September was set for the beginning of the school year it was decided that the school year would last 10 months in the towns and between 7 and 8 months in the villages because of the children's involvement in agricultural work This legal framework was maintained until 1885." The administration of the Minister of Education Stoyan Omarchevski (1920-1923) introduced a number of reforms in education including the organization of the teaching process The school year for towns was to begin on 15 September and end on 12 July while for rural schools it ended a month earlier the end of the school year was observed with one exception - in cities children finished school three weeks earlier a change was introduced to synchronize the academic year with the Soviet educational system so that school would begin on September 1 and end on May 30 The model proved to be inapplicable to the Bulgarian education system and its long-standing traditions - explains Veselin Lazarov - and from 1957 onwards the start of the school year has been 15 September." the then education minister Sergey Ignatov made an unsuccessful attempt to bring back the date of 1 September there was another effort to reintroduce the start of the school year on the 1st or on the 7th of September all students in the country start school on September 15 we most often think of the past times of the "old" Bulgarians The more we open our minds and hearts to the past the bigger the hope that old virtues are not dead and could be revived today Pencho Semov is one of those Bulgarians who embraced the enthusiasm of the newly liberated homeland and created modern industry thanks to his entrepreneurialism Born in 1873 in the village of Tsvyatkovtsi near Gabrovo the entrepreneur did not study at foreign universities his desire for knowledge and his courage to follow brave and brilliant ideas turned him into a successful industrialist whom journalists would call "The Bulgarian Rockefeller" He was a shareholder in 28 companies and factories and participated in the management of four banks and two insurance companies but for a long time he travelled with his father as a merchant,” says Krasimira Cholakova author of a biographical book about the industrialist “His father had a shop in Tutrakan and at the age of 14 Pencho was often left to run the family shop alone In the town Pencho Semov was quickly learning from other traders and soon started wearing clothes according to the latest European fashion This change to modernity would subsequently affect not only Gabrovo but the whole of Bulgaria as well.” Pencho Semov used to take care of his employees as his own children paid for the education of their children and when some workers wanted to pay back their loans “He might have become keen on charity because of the church and what he experienced in his life He was very young when he married Anitsa Gadeva from Gabrovo she and his two children died of tuberculosis,” Krasimira Cholakova says “Pencho Semov donated 300,000 levs for lobbying for Bulgaria in order to reduce claims against this country in the Neuilly Treaty He also gave 2.5 million levs to churches and monasteries; created a fund in his own name in the Gabrovo Library – for buying literature with the latest research work in the fields of engineering and medicine; he financed the education of many students It was not uncommon for children of his workers to continue their education with money donated by him He was also one of the few Bulgarians to spend money for Bulgarian culture author of the monument of Vasil Aprilov in Gabrovo and provided money to sculptor Joseph Skvara who created the marble iconostasis in the Gabrovo chapel he donated his villa in Varna to the Union of Journalists and created one of the first social institutions for homeless people in Sofia.” The benefactor built a nursing home for his former employees as one of his factories provided the financing He also left half of his assets to charity the work of his entire life was swept away by the new regime The communist state appropriated his factories and took his property worth 1.9 billion levs while many of his well-trained employees were sent to concentration camps Pencho Semov did not live to see with his own eyes how his dream and all he built was taken away from him The industrialist summarized his life in this way: In the past Pencho Semov used to welcome his guests in the magnificent park of his villa he brought them sweets in the colors of the Bulgarian flag so that they do not forget they are Bulgarians "You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St. marks 1160 years since the baptism of our Bulgarian people into the Orthodox faith and 1170 years since the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet and Slavic literature the Varna and Veliki Preslav Bishopric Metropolis. Bulgaria celebrates 149 years since the April Uprising – an event that led to the liberation of Bulgaria after almost five centuries of Ottoman rule we must not forget that every participant in the April. There are two winners in the Green Leaf category for smaller settlements – Gabrovo and Lappeenranta It is now official – Grenoble (France) will hold the European Green Capital in 2022 while Gabrovo (Bulgaria) and Lappeenranta (Finland) are the winners in the European Green Leaf 2021 category for cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants The results were announced at yesterday’s official ceremony in Lisbon by Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius (Environment The winners in the competition organised by the European Commission were selected by an expert jury based on their commitment to sustainable development evaluated against 12 indicators. The finalists were announced back in May when two French cities – Dijon and Grenoble together with Tallin in Estonia and Turin in Italy were shortlisted in the Green Capital competition Five towns and cities made it to the finals in the Green Leaf contest (20,000-100,000 inhabitants) - Elsinore (Denmark) Nyborg (Denmark) and Ringkøbing-Skjern (Denmark) and the names of the big winners are known They will not only receive the prestigious recognition for their environmental protection achievements but will also get a financial stimulus to start their “green years” – 350,000 euros for Grenoble and 75,000 euros for Gabrovo and for Lappeenranta Grenoble impressed the jury in many aspects – the table below testifies to its solid results as the French city ranked first in 5 of the 12 indicators Technical ranking of the Finalist Cities for the European Green Capital Award 2022 What follows for Grenoble is a year full of interesting and inspirational events and initiatives in the field of sustainable development Its year as a green capital will take the shape of a program chock-full of meetings for all audiences The title of European Green Capital is an opportunity to strengthen the attractiveness of the territory to speed up transitions and to make the territory more resilient to climate change “It is an honour for us to follow all former Green Capital Cities. We all need to adapt our way of life and I am sure that being a European Green Capital will help us to go further. We will be demanding and proactive ambassadors!”  said the Mayor of Grenoble, Éric Piolle upon receiving the award the rules of the competition allow for two winners the city of Lappeenranta has made a visible commitment to developing climate work The city aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 the title was decerned for its achievements in energy efficiency separate collection of waste and campaigns with the inclusion of citizens Bulgaria’s Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Zurab Pololikashvili Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) have officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism,. The Mini Bulgaria Park is an unusual place for a tourist tour spiritual culture and natural landmarks of Bulgaria meet Gorna Oryahovitsa often remains undeservedly hidden from the eyes of tourists even though it is only about 10 km away from Bulgaria's old capital which lies at the foot of the Balkans on the banks of the. The Gabrovo country market is not a shiny pompous market with shops and offices situated in the center of a Bulgarian village The idea of the Gabrovo country market belongs to four community centers from villages and residential districts near Gabrovo and was implemented in 2014 organic and healthy food without nitrates People can also find at the country market craft goods produced under authentic traditional technologies: “The country market starts with an open stage first Margarita Stoyanova who works as a secretary at the Hristo Botev 2008 community center in the village of Garvan told Radio Bulgaria Amateur formations present their artistic skills vocal and dance art and verbal creativity at this stage many traditional items such as the Gabrovo wooden-bowls dried fruits and traditional thick plum jelly are displayed at the village bazaar We believe that our cultural heritage should be linked to the Bulgarian tradition of healthy lifestyle and nature-friendly production people used to dry fruits in the sun without using electricity and white sugar We kept this tradition and offer sun-dried fruits as well." Thanks to the local community centers the founders of the so called “village mall” met people who managed to preserve the ancient crafts In one of the villages near the town of Sevlievo craftsman Todor (nicknamed The Spoon) continues to make wooden spoons with a chisel and has never used a wood-turning lathe for his wooden items His produce sold at the village bazaar is a demonstration of this ancient craft Aunt Stanka makes sugar cockerels under an ancient family recipe Of course the most attractive product offered at the country market is the local plum jelly Bulgarians call Pestil It is a thick and layered jam made under the following recipe: Our traditional thick jelly is made of plums the local people used to make this jelly of a traditional sort of plums with high sugar and low water content known as Karadzheyki because most of the old traditional sorts have withered To make the traditional thick plum jelly you need to boil and thicken the plums without using any additional sugar the mixture is spread over a flat wooden board in thin layers When the first layer cools down and dries out you need to turn the layer upside down and pour another thin layer of the plum jelly over it You repeat this procedure until you have six layers of thin plum jelly Then you leave the jelly to dry out in a dark remove the product from the wooden board and roll it We start making plum jelly in September and several months later it is ready for consumption The Gabrovo country market is held 7-8 times a year it is also popular outside the Gabrovo district It was held in the towns of Sevlievo and Elena as well and in 2016 was presented in Brussels together with the Gabrovo Pestil thick plum jelly and other items produced in the Gabrovo region “People have been always interested in the local traditions and our bazaar They love to attend the country market and join the horo dance buy something and recall moments from their childhood The elderly people still keep their family traditions through food The money raised at this bazaar is used for some of the causes of the local community centers.” Margarita Stoyanova presented within the frameworks of the Days of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Sofia City Library traditional thick plum jelly traditional bread (made under a local recipe using natural sour dough) cheese pastry (made in Gabrovo with curds) elder syrup and other delicious and beautiful items under the motto Forgotten Culinary Traditions The project has been fulfilled by the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Southeastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO and the Sofia City Library It is carried out with the financial assistance of Sofia Municipality The Editorial Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) protests against its mentioning in an article of Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik which contains untrue information about the origin of Brazil's newly-elected President The Dnevnik article states twice that Dilma Rousseff's Bulgarian father It confuses – deliberately or not – two places in Bulgaria both named "Gabrovo": the city of Gabrovo which is the actual birthplace of Dilma Rousseff's Bulgarian father Petar Rusev – and the small village of Gabrovo in the Blagoevgrad Municipality Southwestern Bulgaria in the historical and geographic region known as "Pirin Macedonia" after the Pirin Mountain located there This confusion has apparently enabled the Macedonian paper Dnevnik to play around with Macedonia's dormant claims circulated by the Macedonian press that Southwestern Bulgaria constitutes "Macedonian territory" inhabited by a "Macedonian minority." As a result the Dnevnik article proclaims that Dilma Rousseff has "Macedonian" origin All articles and interviews about Dilma Rousseff and her family published by Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) – which have already been cited correctly all around the world including in Brazil and the USA – explicitly make it clear that Petar Rusev was born in the Bulgarian town of Gabrovo (which could also be termed a city given Bulgaria's proportions) and which is nowhere near the region of Pirin Macedonia The Editorial Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) is perplexed as to how and why the Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik is the only media in the world drawing incorrect and misleading interpretations from our articles and mistaking a city of 80 000 people for a small village Even if the region of Pirin Macedonia were the birthplace of Petar Rusev it is unclear how this could give grounds to the Macedonian press to suggest that Dilma Rousseff's origin was linked to the "Macedonian nation" and "Macedonian identity" The precise quote from the Dnevnik article which cites Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) "The father of Dilma Petar Stefanov Russev and in 1929 emigrated because of the persecution of communists the first woman president in the history of Brazil claim users of the social network Facebook and is reported by the Sofia news agency Novinite.. No articles of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) have ever suggested that Dilma Rousseff's father Petar Rusev could be considered to be of any ethnic origin other than Bulgarian simply because there are no kind of grounds for that Any claims that Petar Rusev had "Macedonian identity" or "Macedonian ethnicity" are ridiculous Regardless of what certain people in Macedonia might wish is of Brazilian nationality and citizenship and of Bulgarian origin on her father's side – in the very least she herself has made these fact clear numerous times The Editorial Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) condemns the misinterpretation of its articles by the Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik This is not just poor journalism but leave doubts of intentional actions The Editorial Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) demands that the Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik should publish the current statement as a correction of their article and should issue an apology making it clear that Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) has never suggested that Petar Rusev and his daughter Dilma Rousseff *This statement has been submitted to the editorial staff of the Macedonian newspaper Dnevnik and to the paper's publisher We will notify the readers of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) about any reaction to our statement - or President Rumen Radev has urged North Macedonia to stop blaming Bulgaria for delays in its path toward EU membership The Minister of Transport of North Macedonia expressed frustration over the lack of response from Bulgaria regarding the construction of a railway line During the "EU Meets the Balkans" forum in Sofia North Macedonia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Zoran Dimitrovski addressed ongoing concerns surrounding his country's EU accession process Bulgaria has been awaiting a response from the Republic of North Macedonia regarding the draft agreement for the construction of a railway tunnel After reports emerged this week from Bulgarian media stating that Bulgaria is "fully ready to sign an agreement with North Macedonia and start construction on a cross-border railway tunnel along Corridor 8" Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov announced that Bulgaria is fully ready to sign an agreement with North Macedonia Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident Томислав Дончев - заместник министър-председател и министър на иновациите и растежа Има магистърска степен по философия във Великотърновския университет „Св Завършва и втора специалност – журналистика получава и втора магистърска степен по стопанско управление от същия университет Томислав Дончев специализира политически науки в Международното лятно училище по политически науки и международни отношения в Полша специализира „Подпомагане на високотехнологични малки и средни предприятия и научно-развойни стартиращи фирми“ в Института в Негев завършва курс по бизнес менторинг в Академията по бизнес менторинг в Оксфорд член на ръководството и служител в различни неправителствени организации от сферата на образованието и науката; бил е сътрудник и на агенция за социологически изследвания; работи като учител в Хуманитарна гимназия „Св е изпълнителен директор на организацията Високотехнологичен бизнес инкубатор Габрово работи като програмен директор в Институт „Отворено общество“ Основен приоритет в работата му като кмет е привличането на външно финансиране и разработването на качествени проектни предложения с които Община Габрово се утвърждава като един от най-успешните бенефициенти в България по отношение управление на проекти с европейско финансиране във всички сфери на социално-икономическия живот Само за две години са подготвени 21 проектни предложения става министър по управление на средствата от Европейския съюз в правителството на Бойко Борисов е член на Европейския парламент от групата на ЕНП/ГЕРБ Избран за заместник министър-председател по европейските фондове и икономическата политика на 7 ноември 2014г Избран за заместник министър-председател на 4 май 2017г Избран за народен представител от ПП ГЕРБ в 42-ото Избран за заместник министър-председател и министър на иновациите и растежа на 16 януари 2025 г Второстепенни разпоредители Дружества с държавно участие Институции Европейски програми за бизнеса „Научни изследвания и иновации“ Европейски програми за бизнеса „Бизнес, икономика, евро“ Свържете се с българските търговски представители по света Карта на сайта Телефон: +359 2 940 7635 - Деловодство+359 2 807 5336 - Главна Дирекция ЕФК E-mail: docs@mig.government.bg (Деловодство) press@mig.government.bg (Пресцентър) за да Ви предоставим най-доброто изживяване на нашия уебсайт за това кои бисквитки използваме или да ги изключите от настройките за да можем да Ви предоставим възможно най-доброто потребителско изживяване Информацията за бисквитките се съхранява във Вашия браузър и изпълнява функции като Ви разпознава когато се върнете към нашия уебсайт и помага на екипа ни да разбере кои секции от уебсайта намирате за най-интересни и полезни Необходимата бисквитка трябва да бъде активирана по всяко време за да можем да запазим Вашите предпочитания за настройки на бисквитки няма да можем да запазим Вашите предпочитания ще трябва да активирате или деактивирате бисквитките отново Let’s get crazy with laughter is the slogan of the carnival in the Bulgarian capital of the jokes of Gabrovo the residents and the guests of the city will go through the streets with a colorful procession and a black cat without a tail will lead the parade the tail of the cat should be cut off by the mayor of the city The cat without a tail is a symbol of the proverbial parsimony of the people from Gabrovo the natives cut the tails of the animals so they enter the house more quickly and do not cool the stool This year’s parade will be dedicated to the 157th anniversary of the announcement of Gabrovo as a city so that the colorful personalities who lived in the past in it will be remembered A funny carving race will be held for the first time this year On the 21st will be exhibited pre-made artistic works of fruits and vegetables They will be crafted to remind of famous Gabrovo jokes or comic images the contestants will be able to finish their work on the spot The sculptors should be up to 1.2 meters high The winners of the competition will be announced at 5 p.m at the central square in Gabrovo “Vazrazhdane” The traditions of Gabrovo carnivals date back to the 19th century The laughter parade did not take place only during the Second World War and in the years of transition after the communist era in Bulgaria from 1990 to 1998 the people from Gabrovo are known to stop their watches at night so not to damage their mechanisms But it is also said that when the world is talking about some progress to smell the air of the past times and to feel the legends in the air And I'm lucky to have been born in a country with a glorious past and a lot of stories to tell Bulgaria was founded more than 1,300 years ago and has never changed its name their music and their art have changed over the centuries I invite you to take a walk through the different ages of Bulgaria and to get to know it better The town of Gabrovo became the leading industrial center of Bulgaria in the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century It even earned the nickname the Bulgarian Manchester Ivan Hadjiberov was one of those to blame for that glory – he wasn’t scared by the harsh Bulgarian reality and with no capitals to start with he all the way from a flour trader and producer to a leading manufacturer of fine cloths and a pioneer for Bulgaria’s energy sphere He was born in 1858 in a rich Gabrovo family His father produced flour and traded different goods The man owned a small mill at the Yantra River where one of the large Gabrovo factories was built up later on – the one of his son Curator at Gabrovo Regional Museum of History Dobromir Tarnovksi tells us more on Ivan Hadjiberov: “He started with nothing and the first activity he got involved into was the import of tobacco from South Bulgaria Thus he earned the money he needed to modernize his father’s business He built up a roller mill powered by a water wheel of 30 horse powers Hadjiberov found himself in Germany in 1901 where he bought 5 looms and an electric dynamo with a few bulbs This dynamo would bring electricity to Gabrovo Ivan Hadiberov established a weaving factory for fine cloths of wool as the yarn was imported from Europe and the remaining energy from the mill powered the looms.” Being particularly interested in what was new in the energy sphere back then Hadjiberov felt a lack of power at some point and decided to construct a power plant Gabrovo citizens thought he was crazy and not a single bank would fund his initiative they set property attachment to all he had but to go to Veliko tarnovo and force with a gun in his hand the manager of Central Bank of Bulgaria to cancel his order and continue with the funding The power plant was finished in 1906 and it was even depicted by a painter The globe could be seen on the eastern wall with a girl dancing on top of it /a symbol of the electricity conquering the world/ and a Bulgarian chain dance underneath of the plant’s constructors “There is a curious story with this chain dance,” Mr “When the builders reached a particularly difficult segment of rocks who had to encourage the workers with his music Each day finished with a traditional Bulgarian chain dance Ivan Hadjiberov used to say later on that it wasn’t him The first Bulgarian water power plant cost about BGN 300,000 In 1910 it already provided electricity to a part of Gabrovo the first town in the country with city lights Ivan Hadjiberov’s entire life was devoted to his efforts to bring in contemporary European trends Thus his unique factory complex was born that included accommodations for workers either The first private school was built up for the workers’ children with professional teachers hired A community center for the leisure time opened doors too… “He was a co-establisher and a first donator to the community and library building of the town He was among the founders of the Industrial Bank – Gabrovo At the same time Ivan Hadjiberov took part in the 1877 – 1878 Russo Turkish War and then in the Serbian – Bulgarian War afterwards…” he was sent as a dignified and loved person – all Gabrovo factories honored his memory with the wail of their sirens during the funeral ceremony and also with the constant ringing of all churches’ bells… The only open-air ethnographic museum in Bulgaria will compete with the best creative destinations in the world and the goal is this year's award of the International Network for Creative Tourism Etara is located near the town of Gabrovo you are imperceptibly transported to another dimension - the time of the Bulgarian Revival Period Walking along the picturesque cobbled street with the beautiful houses and craftsmen workshops on their ground floor visitors get a taste of the unique way of life and culture of this era "We are applying for the prize with a set of initiatives etc," says Svetlozar Todorov - Head of Cultural Management of Etara "We traditionally welcome many foreign guests the number of visitors is almost the same but we now have only Bulgarian tourists," Todorov says What makes an impression is the one-of-a-kind composition of 10 water facilities because in Europe there are very few such collections of the so-called folk technique of water," Todorov explains "There is a water facility that is for sharpening knives on which masters still manufacture various objects The sawmill is also part of this composition All of them are activated with water using old technologies Let's not forget the braid production workshop All these facilities are of great interest." Etara is no ordinary open-air museum with frozen exhibits The ambition of the team is to motivate visitors to try activities related to learning about Bulgarian life and folklore innovative educational programs are implemented on site The most interesting are the craft workshops where tourists can make an object themselves "The workshops of the master craftsmen are located in the craft bazaar They work with traditional materials - clay And this happens every day throughout the year The activity of the museum will continue in the winter This is one of the advantages of open-air museums So here everyone can choose exactly which craft he or she wants to practice and agree with some of our craftsmen to guide him” The world tourism industry is increasingly emphasizing experiences and cultural routes tourists prefer to think of themselves as travellers or adventurers That is why the international network for creative tourism encourages initiatives for sustainable tourism The first Bulgarian secular school was launched in the town of Gabrovo (Central North Bulgaria) some 180 years ago This school used the teaching method of British pedagogues Bell and Lancaster advanced students help younger pupils in their studies the process was conducted under the guidance of the local teacher The first teacher in that school was renowned Bulgarian revival leader Neophyte of Rila Nikolay Palauzov and the Mustakov Brothers were among the biggest benefactors of the school Other Bulgarians who lived abroad also provided financial assistance to the school They used to pay remunerations to the teachers and scholarships of the graduates should be viewed not only as the person who was the forefather of the new Bulgarian education and benefactor of the Bulgarian educational system but also as the one who outlined the future development of the new Bulgarian education Vassil Aprilov served as principal of the school in Gabrovo Aprilov was a successful tradesman who contributed a lot to the development of economic ties with Russia he gave his contribution to the cultural development of the town of Gabrovo and of other Bulgarian districts “Vassil Aprilov’s first work was entitled Dawn of the New Bulgarian Education published back in 1841” The keeper of the Regional Historical Museum in Gabrovo Daniela Tsoneva told Radio Bulgaria “He issued the same year another book entitled The Bulgarian Books and which Slavic Tribe the Slavonic Script Belongs To One year later he published a sequel to the Dawn of the New Bulgarian Education. followed by Bulgarian Honour Diplomas in 1845 and his last work Reflections on Present-Day Bulgarian Education in 1847 in seven years only he published five whole works which contributed to the development of the Bulgarian literature and the promotion of education in this country.” The Regional Historical Museum in Gabrovo keeps valuable evidence linked with Vassil Aprilov’s life “Although his letters addressed to his sister Kera were quite personal they are also an evidence of his great aspiration towards the preservation of the Bulgarian traditions he was asking his sister to look for certain Bulgarian songs related to love he was advising his sister what types of women and ladies to hire for the performance of these songs and to remunerate them for their labor Aprilov shared his idea about the establishment of a women’s school Gabrovo was the second Bulgarian town after Pleven which gave the start to female education in this country.” Vassil Aprilov was assisted by Neophyte of Rila and other compatriots in the search of antiquities One of his ideas regarded the arrangement of various materials in one collection Vassil Aprilov was regarded as one of the forefathers of the scientific field of the growing Bulgarian historiography due to his live interest in archeological monuments and historical documents He was the first Bulgarian who introduced the term archaeology Aprilov promoted the new education in one of his works mentioning that 6 years after the establishment of the first secular school in Gabrovo a whole network of similar schools emerged in Bulgaria: in the towns of Panagyurishte Vasil Aprilov presented Gabrovo as the center of this holy deed in comparison to the experience of some developed European countries He used to call this town a “seed-bed of Bulgaria’s education” only six years before the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Yoke the school in Gabrovo turned into the first secondary school in this country Today The Aprilov National High School in Gabrovo is among the most prestigious schools in Bulgaria The heritage of its renowned patron and rich history resulted in the establishment of the National Museum of Education If you want your secret desires and prays to be heard try to send them to heaven during the Sky lantern festival in Gabrovo The event would be held this year for a sixth time in a row You should give your dreams wings of fire and to wait them to come back to you fulfilled The festival will be held on Vuzrazhdane Square in the town after hundreds of blazing paper lanterns fly to the dark night sky During the event you can enjoy also the fire acrobatic of the artists F.I.M.S The organizers have also provided surprises Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again In every season and every region of this small country Subscribe to newsletters to receive our hottest offers: In the period September 2 – 6 the Etar Ethnographic Open-Air Museum near the town of Gabrovo Central North Bulgaria will host the 14th International Fair of Traditional Crafts “The event is a museum product and has the task to educate and not just entertain the visitors which makes it different from other initiatives of that kind,” says Associate Prof The educational element will be in the form of interesting and curious stories on traditions and crafts This year’s program has strict requirements each object presented to be created with the usage of the old technologies and materials only “We put the accent of the fair on weaving and we have prepared a display of rare textile techniques devoted to that craft will be held during the 12th International Science Conference "Traditional crafts – past We will also present an exhibition of 92-year-old Stoyna Krastanova who is a part of the fellowship of masters in Plovdiv and has been into this work ever since 1968 Her Reborn Weaving Techniques exposition will reveal to the visitors ancient techniques of Coptic Byzantine and Bulgarian textile ornament weaving The new thing this year is the participation of friends and rivals of woodcarver Anton Nikolov Thus their works will contribute to the diversity of the exhibition There will be plenty of activities for kids at the Discover Your Skills corner of the museum with recreations and demonstrations of home rituals and folklore customs One of our top races this year will be the interweaving of belts on crusts – an ancient craft practiced on different spots across the Balkans Foreigners will participate as well and the best one will take the Silver Bell award Two years ago the craft was declared one of the masterpieces of Bulgaria’s non-material cultural inheritance The regulation of the contest says that the participants have to create two objects each The results will be announced during the traditional Evening of the Master The winner will have the chance of an own exhibition at the Etar Complex next year The 14th edition of the fair has a new marketing vision with enhanced foreign attendance and over 120 participants from Bulgaria “We have tried to expand the whole thing’s range in terms of geography and craftsmen from South Africa Sudan and Algeria have voiced to us their participation Macedonia and Romania will attend the event as well The idea is to show the preservation of a certain craft across each of the countries – the common things and the differences This will be the subject of the scientific conference In fact the big difference with the Etar Complex is that compared to other similar spots it is not only a trading spot Our rewards aim at the encouragement of those masters who keep with tradition in modern days,” Associate Dancing formations from the whole country will perform over the 5 days of the festival Neshka Robeva’s National Art will be the first one “The compilation will be an exclusive one shown for a first time – a mix of folklore elements We have really interesting people from the Gabrovo region Students of the Filip Kutev Folklore School in Kotel will be our guests too this year – they are young and very talented very popular among the younger generation with its more modern interpretation of Bulgarian folklore will join the show too,” Associate Prof According to demographic data of the National Statistical Institute from the end of the past year in 23 per cent of villages in Bulgaria the number of local residents varies between 1 and 49 The district of Veliko Tarnovo is second in the country after Gabrovo in terms of high number of depopulated villages I make a reportage without seeing the people I'm talking about Just because I can't get to the villages as public transport to them is stopped," says BNR correspondent in the region Zdravka Maslyankova In an attempt to check how people in the region live in extraordinary circumstances the journalist turns out to be the only interviewer with whom the only resident of the Balkan village of Goranovtsi - 73-year-old Tsana Tsyatkova has talked to on the phone in recent days The elderly woman has been living alone for years Now he is not with her because of the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions The elderly woman receives a pension of 118 Bulgarian levs (about 60 euros) a month but in the place where she lives there are no shops It is the loneliness,” the elderly woman says “My blood sugar is high and I don't know what I'm going to do Goranovtsi is one of 16 high mountain small villages that are part of the mayoralty of Raykovtsi Currently in this state of emergency people are at home I go to the doctor and bring them three-month supplies of needed medicines people living in the Balkan Mountain are tough people Those who live in the neighborhoods know that there is no luxury here We keep in touch and help each other as we are used to.” explains that his main activity lately has been making address registrations so that the relatives of elderly people can easily go back to the village and visit them because a checkpoint at Veliko Tarnovo must be passed We have also registered 82 people with current address - relatives We have no problems and we have not left anyone stay hungry or without care," Mr Publisher Ivan Gaberov is one of the citizens who spends the period of the state of emergency in self isolation in the small Veliko Tarnovo village of Emen near the picturesque Emen Canyon he has devoted himself to gardening and says that in the past two weeks he had not had the chance of talking face to face to anyone "Living in the countryside in isolation is wonderful but being forced to be isolated is not the best thing that can happen to you because we are not usually involved in rural life we are urban people who use the countryside for a better existence and it is uncomfortable I miss the freedom to decide whether to stay or go somewhere Editor: Elena Karkalanova /report by Zdravka Maslyankova