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An 18-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Haskovo has been found dead was discovered on Wednesday in an abandoned building on Amur Street in the northern part of the city A significant police presence was observed at the scene in the late afternoon with investigators in protective gear entering the property who was reportedly last seen with Magdalena around 4:00 a.m has been detained for 24 hours in connection with the case the girl's body was transported for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death Authorities had launched a search for the girl after she was declared missing on Saturday morning her mobile phone was located near Rakovski Boulevard in Haskovo police stated there was no indication of abduction Additional details about the case are expected to be released before noon today the director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Haskovo presented data in his annual report indicating two murders and one attempted murder in the region so far in 2024 Speaking in the presence of the Minister of Internal Affairs Rasokov had previously said there was no evidence of kidnapping in Magdalena's case but noted that she might have been hiding from her parents We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria A serious criminal case has emerged in Sofia after the body of a man was discovered in a water-filled basement of a municipal apartment building and the community bid farewell to 12-year-old Siyana who tragically lost her life in a serious car accident near Telish Authorities in Bulgaria have charged two men with the murder of 20-year-old Marian Paskov from the town of Kula The prosecutor’s office is expected to release more details later today about the investigation into the brutal murder of 20-year-old Marian Paskov in the Bulgarian town of Kula The investigation into the double murder of two children in the village of Vakarel is ongoing A 9-year-old girl has died at a school in Veliko Tarnovo and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of death A 33-year-old man from the village of Semchinovo has been taken into custody by the police for physically assaulting a 10-year-old child A 12-year-old boy from Lukovit has been hospitalized with two broken arms and head injuries after reportedly being assaulted and thrown from a bridge the director of the Plovdiv Customs Office was arrested earlier today for allegedly facilitating a new smuggling route for cigarettes The Sofia Police has launched a targeted operation against drivers of electric scooters and electric motorbikes who engage in reckless behavior in the city's central areas opened fire with a gas pistol near a kindergarten in Sofia's Lyulin district Hackers have reportedly targeted Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) claiming they accessed the data of over 100,000 users and around 1,000 employees through its LIMA system 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 The head of the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in the southern town of Haskovo has come down under pressure over the handling of a missing girl case that ended with her death Interior Minister Daniel Mitov said that he had personally requested and accepted Rasokov’s resignation The Minister was speaking to journalists on Friday during his visit to the annual review of the Shumen Regional Directorate’s performance for 2024 The reasons of Rasokov’s resignation are related to his statements concerning the case of the murder of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva from the town whose body was found in an uninhabited property on April 30 after she reported missing since April 26 Rasokov initially stated that the investigation was proceeding under the theory that the girl had run away A 17-year-old boy was arrested as the perpetrator of the murder I offer my condolences to the family of the murdered girl there is a narrative suggesting that if the Interior Ministry had acted faster the murder happened in the early hours on April 26 The police received the signal at 8:00 p.m. Officers of the regional directorate in Haskovo solved the case in three days by collecting all the necessary evidence so that the prosecution has all the tools to bring charges to arrest the accused and can count on a serious result during the trial," Mitov said On Thursday, a protest took place in front of the Regional Police Station in Haskovo where dozens of people gathered to demand the resignation of Rasokov The protesters said the police had not taken sufficient action to trace the girl Aggression ensued from mostly young people who pelted the police station building with stones and broke some of the windows Youths pulled down part of the gutters of the building and dumped them in front of the entrance to the police station After the police officers dispersed the protesters late in the evening Rasokov said he will hand his resignation after the Interior Minister has asked him to do so the situation was exploited for political speculation by those who persistently attack the image of the Interior Ministry What we witnessed in Haskovo yesterday was vandalism Protesters hurled objects at the building and even involved minors and underage children in acts of hooliganism All individuals responsible for these actions will be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law along with those who incited them," the Minister said Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages something accidental happened in the relationship between Magdalena and Ivan but it is still not clear what exactly they were before More news from Crimes Tension arose during a protest in front of the Regional Police Station in Haskovo where dozens of people gathered to demand the resignation of the head of the Interior Ministry's Regional Directorate The reason for their discontent was the murder of an 18-year-old girl from the town A 17-year-old boy has been arrested for the case with a charge as the culprit I said earlier today and I will do it - I will resign," Rasokov told the Bulgarian News Agency A contact group of protesters talked with the head of Haskovo Regional Police Station When the protest representatives came out to the crowd again people did not give them the floor to tell what they heard from the police Youths pulled down a part of the gutters of the building and dumped them in front of the entrance to the police station There are litter bins strewn about and part of the building is covered in red paint.  The police only took to the street when protesters started throwing firecrackers into the station's yard an audible signal with a voice warning was issued to the protesters who at that hour were mostly youths. The police dispersed the crowd and cordoned off the area at the rear of the control Two people were taken to the district police station however there is no official information about the arrests so far.  A version is emerging that if the Ministry of Interior had acted faster the girl would have been alive – this version is false This was stated at a briefing by the Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov And he specified that the murder was committed in the early hours of April 26 “When we talk about the resignation of the director of the Haskovo Regional Directorate of the Interior it is not because they did not do their job but because the regional director shared a version with the media that was unfounded – or was insufficiently informed“ Mitov categorically stated that all those who participated in these hooligan acts and are responsible will be sought Some of them have already been sought and will be held accountable by law The Minister announced that the resignation of the Director of the Haskovo Department of Internal Affairs Ivan Rasokov has been submitted and accepted “The Director has been removed due to unsuccessful communication with the public and misled not only the public relatives and classmates of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva pelted the police building in the city with eggs and yogurt the body of the 18-year-old girl who had been wanted for 4 days earlier was found in an abandoned house in Haskovo A 17-year-old youth was arrested for the crime The girl was killed in a particularly gruesome manner - strangled by tightening a noose made of rope or other string More news from Bulgaria was found hidden in a can in an abandoned house in Haskovo the horrific find confirmed the worst fears contrary to the initial claims of the police that the girl had simply run away from home shared the heartbroken mother Lidiya Trendafilova Magdalena was last seen at around 4:00 a.m when she was leaving a friend's birthday party the Haskovo police initially categorically denied that the girl was a victim of a crime claiming that she had run away from her mother "All the lies that the police told must be drowned in them They are making fun of other people's pain!" - Trendafilova said which raises serious questions for the investigation A classmate of Magdalena's was arrested for the murder since the girl had a relationship with another boy the motive may have been related to jealousy Lidiya Trendafilova is categorical that the perpetrator did not act alone: "It can't be just him There were other people involved!" In protest against the initial inaction and inappropriate statements of the police Magdalena's relatives and friends are organizing a protest march in front of the Haskovo police station at 5:00 p.m An official statement from the investigating authorities is expected to shed more light on the case and the actions of the institutions The person detained for the brutal murder of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva from Haskovo will not appeal the preventive measure "detention in custody" imposed on him by the District Court Both he and his lawyer have insisted on permanent arrest The reason is the fear of self-defense after the tension and protests in the city that followed the revelation of Magdalena's murder with whom they studied together at the local business school because I believe that in his personal defense and in defense of the relatives of the deceased He said that she also responded to his feelings on the night in question The results will show if they really took his blood for tests," said Lyubomir Gochev more relevant and more accessible to young people who want to study Haskovo Deputy Regional Governor Mitko Petrov said during a local conference held here Wednesday The event was part of BTA’s Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project he sees the opportunities for education today and can compare them with those 20 years ago He reported that while there are two universities that offer distance learning in the Haskovo Municipality there is no university with a campus within the city itself Petrov said that it is a significant challenge to retain young people in the region and back their development Petrov stated that steps have already been taken with the Vocational High School of Woodworking and Construction to fix this problem The construction of a Centre for Excellence is planned to start soon Such a centre would enable gifted children to develop their talents and grant them the opportunity to stay He noted that a close partnership between the Regional Administration local universities and business can result in "economic and human cohesion" BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project aims to raise public awareness and foster open dialogue about cohesion policy and the implementation of the EU's policy priorities The project kicked off with a conference in Veliki Preslav in November 2024 The schedule of conferences until the end of September 2025 includes events in the following cities: Blagoevgrad Cross-border conferences will be held in Belgrade The project builds on the Europe in the Balkans: A Common Future and Europe in Bulgaria: A Common Future projects Relatives and friends of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva are organizing a protest in front of the police building The citizens' dissatisfaction is caused by the alleged delay of police officers in searching for the girl and her body was found in an abandoned property on "Amur" Street The police announced that a 17-year-old youth has been detained for the murder Magdalena was last seen with him around 4:00 a.m A source close to the investigation confirmed that the two knew each other Just a few days before the discovery of the body the director of the Haskovo police department stated at a briefing that "there is no evidence of a crime in the case and the missing girl" The statement was made in the presence of Interior Minister Daniel Mitov that representatives of the police and the prosecutor's office will provide more details about the case and the actions taken by the institutions A Centre for Excellence is under construction at the Vocational High School of Woodworking and Construction in Haskovo and should be completed by the middle of 2026 said the school's director Margarita Topalova during a local conference held here on Wednesday She pointed out that the first activity is related to the construction of a new building on the property of the high school while the second activity will provide the equipment and furnishings of modern offices and workshops in which future personnel will be trained for the labor market "I hope that through this centre we will motivate them to study the professions of the future and learn the skills that will be in demand in the coming years," Topalova emphasised The main areas in which the centre will develop are Construction and Architecture Topalova noted that the centre will have a laboratory for embedded control systems with specialized equipment a design studio and a computer numerical control workshop for the needs of furniture production The workshop will help synchronize the requirements of the business in the furniture industry adding that laboratories for testing construction materials and geodesy are also planned The building will have an event hall with a capacity of 100 seats in which activities related to international partnerships master classes and inter-school exchange will be carried out who was previously the head of the regional department in the regional city Since 2017 is in the ODMVR-Haskovo as an investigating police officer and has successively held the positions of senior and chief investigating police officer in the "Investigation" sector The District Court in Haskovo permanently remanded in custody 17-year-old Ivan Kostov accused in the murder of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva He was brought to court with his face hidden and a hood His detention order is being considered behind closed doors The young man refused to speak to our team He did not say that he regretted what he had done „He showed sufficient resourcefulness even in the early hours of the day to try to hide the body far from the place where he was staying According to The prosecutor's office believes that these circumstances indicate that there is a real danger that the accused will abscond or commit a crime The accused in the murder of 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva from Haskovo threw away her clothes and sent messages to her phone to try to create an alibi for what happened This was revealed by the supervising prosecutor from the Haskovo District Prosecutor's Office „He showed sufficient intelligence even in the early hours of the day to try to hide the body far from the place where he was staying these circumstances indicate that there is a real danger that the accused will hide or commit a crime 17-year-old Ivan Kostov said that he strangled 18-year-old Magdalena with a string that he threw into a trash can the weapon of the crime has not been found adding that searches are being conducted at the dump According to the supervising prosecutor Pavel Zhekov permanent detention in custody is the most adequate measure The mother of the 17-year-old was summoned to the courtroom The Haskovo District Prosecutor's Office also noted that there were no eyewitnesses to the murder nor were there any curious glances from terraces“ 18-year-old driver sweeps three parked cars in Haskovo The young man was probably driving at high speed and lost control of the car A barrier in the parking lot above the river followed The 17-year-old boy understood the significance of what he had done and deliberately killed 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva from Haskovo The murder was committed in a particularly painful way for the victim This became clear at a briefing by the prosecutor's office in Haskovo A request for a permanent mark will be filed He is fully cooperating with the investigators The two were students at the same high school It is likely that they had been together for a longer time just before the murder It is not known whether they had a birthday together It occurred is a breakdown in relationships The victim was strangled by “noose strangulation” Evidence has been collected that categorically indicates that the boy is the murderer There is no evidence of an accomplice in the crime Indisputable evidence has been collected that the murder was committed at the address where the defendant's grandfather lived This is a different place from where the body was found in a can There is no evidence of harassment of the girl samples from different parts of the body are to be examined It is currently unclear whether they used alcohol and/or drugs The Director of the Haskovo Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs explained at a briefing in Haskovo that when they received information that 18-year-old Magdalena Ruseva had disappeared she was immediately declared wanted and interrogations were conducted He is categorical that there was no kidnapping after which one of the boys left and Magdalena was left alone with the killer Regarding the accusations that he lied that the investigation indicated that the girl had run away he explained that he said it in the "interest of the investigation" : “I will resign if Minister Daniel Mitov asks me to.“ The house of the murderer's grandfather was checked on Sunday The accused will bear the full severity of the law in view of the maximum punishment The investigation has been assigned to an investigator because the young man is not an adult I said it earlier and I will do it - I will resign This was said by the Director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Haskovo He confirmed the information that the Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov on Thursday evening requested his resignation from the post The reaction comes after a protest in front of the building of the Regional Police Department People demanded the resignation of Senior Commissioner Rasokov The reason for their dissatisfaction is the murder of an 18-year-old girl from the city whose body was found in an uninhabited property on April 30 after she had been missing and wanted since April 26 this year A 17-year-old youth has been detained in the case and charged as the perpetrator the police have not taken sufficient action to search for the girl A contact group of protesters spoke in the police station building with the head of the Haskovo Police Station the people did not give them the floor to tell what they had heard from the police that the girl had been searched for the whole time and that the police had done their job This was followed by aggression from mostly young people who threw stones at the police station building and broke some of the windows Youths removed part of the building's gutters and dumped them in front of the entrance to the police station The protesters in front of the Haskovo Regional Police Department (RPD) were dispersed by law enforcement officers shortly before 9:00 p.m Uniformed men with helmets and shields were already lined up in the yard of the department but remained in place for about two hours without reacting The police only took to the streets when the protesters began throwing rocks into the yard of the department a sound signal was issued with a voice warning to the protesters The police dispersed the crowd and cordoned off the area at the back of the department but some of them remained near the Haskovo RPD Two people were taken to the regional department but there is no official information about the arrests yet With the Southern Spring National Competition for Debut Literature Haskovo is proof that talent can manifest itself anywhere BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said by video conference during a local conference held in Haskovo on Wednesday "Today is the first day of the 53rd edition of the competition which was established by Haskovo Municipality and the Union of Bulgarian Writers in 1973 for the debut books of authors under 40 years of age," Valchev pointed out adding that the competition aims to discover stimulate and develop young literary creators in the fields of poetry He recalled that the Pegasus bronze statuette has been received by many emblematic authors over the past half century Petya Dubarova (posthumously) and Georgi Gospodinov many of them have received many more awards around the world which is proof that Bulgarian writers are recognised as European writers He stressed that the Southern Spring competition is reminiscent of the parable about the master who left his three servants with talents "Those (servants) with five and two talents doubled them while the third was afraid and buried his one talent" take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents." Valchev recalled that the parable of the talents carries the message that a person should constantly invest in the various abilities given to him by God using them actively instead of burying them Valchev said that thanks to the competition in Haskovo young talents of Bulgaria are encouraged not to seek success elsewhere despite the opportunities to freely move to another country in the EU as Bulgaria itself is the EU and they can can develop their talent just as well here talent in the written word is most easily manifested on native soil adding that with Bulgaria's accession to the EU the Cyrillic alphabet is now the third alphabet in the EU Thanks to the National Press Club in Haskovo the city has been part of BTA’s national and European dialogues for the past 20 years which already consists of two correspondents from 1177 publications for Haskovo Region in 2023 the publications for the city in 2024 were 1491 Valchev also shared that BTA has now tripled the number of its national press clubs maintaining and expanding the 14 that opened in the last 18 years and now operates 42 across Bulgaria and abroad “These clubs ensure that more Bulgarians are engaged in national and European conversations,” he said “Europe in the Balkans: Together through Knowledge” seeks to foster knowledge exchange between people in Bulgaria the main project implemented by Haskovo Municipality was related to improving the educational infrastructure which was part of the integrated plans for urban regeneration and development Chief Expert at Haskovo Municipality's European and National Programmes and Projects Directorate said during a local conference held here on Wednesday included two large schools and eight buildings of four kindergartens the dormitories and workshops of the Vocational High School of Woodworking and Construction were renovated and reconstructed as well we continue with the funds under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan under which a large number of projects are being implemented," Spendzharov underscored adding that the main ones are for the reconstruction of a primary school the dormitories next to the High School of Mathematics and the Centre for Excellence Spendzharov noted that the integrated concept that Haskovo Municipality has developed includes many measures to improve the educational infrastructure and that it is about to be implemented soon It envisages modernization and energy efficiency measures at various schools in Haskovo Region soft measures related to desegregation and continuing education and adult literacy will be implemented as well Spendzharov also presented the CARE-GET project in which Haskovo Municipality is a leading partner and partners with the Trakia University in Stara Zagora and companies from Bulgaria and Romania representatives of the non-governmental sector as well as the municipalities of Siena from Italy Komotini from Greece and Druskininkai from Lithuania the building of a former orphanage in Haskovo will be transformed into an innovative medical and technological centre "We hope that with the joint efforts of all partners Citizens protested in front of the Haskovo District Office building They accuse the police of inaction in the case of the murdered girl in the city whose body was found yesterday - four days after her disappearance The protesters demand the resignation of the director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior The reason for their dissatisfaction with him is that on Monday two days after 18-year-old Magdalena was last seen the police issued a comment that the girl was not kidnapped and most likely ran away from her mother the prosecutor's office gave more details about the crime which further increased tension among the acquaintances of the murdered woman and among the citizens of Haskovo The protest was organized on social networks Some of the dissatisfied Haskovo residents entered the police station building suggested that the protesters send their representatives to talk to in his office to clarify the situation which was subsequently pelted with eggs and tomatoes people from the protest talked to Commissioner Hristov and the media were not allowed to the meeting Rasolkov had earlier stated that he was ready to resign if asked to do so by the Minister of the Interior the entire police force was engaged in the search for the girl who disappeared last Saturday He was adamant that the police had done their job and the serious crime had been solved in just a few days The street in front of the District Office was closed by police patrols A strong earthquake epicentred in Western Turkiye was felt across the southern Bulgarian Haskovo Region on Wednesday the officers on duty at the local administration said No people hurt or damage to property is reported local people said they felt the quake to be very strong Some report receiving a warning message on their cell phones.  Representatives of various sectors who have worked on projects supported by the EU Cohesion Policy participated in a conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Haskovo on Wednesday The event was part of BTA's "Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills" project With the Southern Spring National Competition for Debut Literature, Haskovo is proof that talent can manifest itself anywhere, said BTA Director General Kiril Valchev Education today is much more modern, more relevant and more accessible to young people who want to study, said Haskovo Deputy Regional Governor Mitko Petrov Schools and educational institutions in Haskovo Region have the possibility to develop and improve their training thanks to the opportunity to invest European funds in education, said Silviya Kasabova Head of the Haskovo Regional Department of Education She emphasized that this allows education to be of higher quality and children and employees in these educational institutions to receive different opportunities adding that schools in the region have long been working under the education programme "This programme supports the effective implementation of the competency-based approach to digitalization and transformation of school education including vocational education and training" In Haskovo Region, a total of 85 projects are implemented in the field of education under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, most of which are for building of STEM classrooms, said Regional Information Centre Expert Yoanna Kokotanekova She pointed out that the most interesting and innovative project in Haskovo in the field of education is for building a Centre for Excellence in the Vocational High School of Woodworking and Construction There are also many opportunities under the Education programme which is detailed and pays attention to the education process only two contracts have been concluded under this programme in the new programming period in Haskovo.  A Centre for Excellence is under construction at the Vocational High School of Woodworking and Construction in Haskovo and should be completed by the middle of 2026, said the school's director Margarita Topalova in which future personnel will be trained for the labour market "I hope that through this centre we will motivate them to study the professions of the future and learn the skills that will be in demand in the coming years," Topalova emphasized The Regional Centre for Distance Learning in Haskovo, part of the Sofia University of National and World Economy (UNWE), has implemented several European projects in recent years, said Daniela Stoyanova PR Coordinator at the centre and part-time lecturer She noted that one project the regional centre has implemented is under the Bulgaria-Greece Cross Border Cooperation Programme and encourages not only UNWE students but also entrepreneurs from Haskovo Region to increase their business potential and develop certain entrepreneurial initiatives in the border areas of Bulgaria and Greece “Its goal is to encourage entrepreneurship by supporting innovative ideas in the cross-border region,” Stoyanova saidd The leading organization is the Alexandria Innovation Zone the Aristotle Faculty of Economics in Thessaloniki and the Industrial Zones National Company are partners of the project which is worth EUR 85,000 and is funded under the INTERREG Greece - Bulgaria 2014-2020 programme In the previous programming period, the main project implemented by Haskovo Municipality was related to improving the educational infrastructure, which was part of the integrated plans for urban regeneration and development, said Valentin Spendzharov under which a large number of projects are being implemented," Spendzharov said The main ones are for the reconstruction of a primary school A local conference on the project "Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills" implemented by BTA with the support of the European Commission will take place on Wednеsday at the BTA National Press Club in Haskovo The forum will discuss the new developments in the cohesion policy in the European Union for the period 2021-2027 and the results achieved in the period 2014-2020 Special emphasis will be put on skills as a driver for the development of the regions and what Bulgaria and the Balkan countries have contributed to the development of Europe Deputy Regional Governor of Haskovo Mitko Petrov expert at the Regional Information Centre - Haskovo Ioanna Kokotanekova Head of the Regional Education Department in Haskovo Silviya Kasabova Chief Expert at the European and National Programmes and Projects and Ecology Directorate at Haskovo Municipality Valentin Spendzharov will participate in the conference as well as Public Relations Coordinator and lecturer at the Regional Centre for Remote Learning in Haskovo of the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) Dr Daniela Stoyanova and the Director of the Vocational School of Woodworking and Construction "Tsar Ivan Asen II" - Haskovo Margarita Topalova BTA aims to provide information to the general public and promote an open dialogue on cohesion policy local performance and the implementation of the European Union's policy priorities a total of 85 projects are implement in the field of education under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan most of which are for building of STEM classrooms said Regional Information Centre Expert Yoanna Kokotanekova during a local conference held in Haskovo on Wednesday Kokotanekova presented some of the projects funded by the EU-backed Regional Development programme including energy efficiency measures and constructions of sports grounds at various schools in the region Two schools in the Haskovo Municipality were also approved under a procedure for desegregation of schools prevention of secondary segregation and against discrimination The Regional Centre for Distance Learning in Haskovo part of the Sofia University of National and World Economy (UNWE) has implemented several European projects in recent years Stoyanova noted that one project the regional centre has implemented is under the Bulgaria - Greece cross-border cooperation programme and encourages not only UNWE students but also entrepreneurs from Haskovo Region to increase their business potential and develop certain entrepreneurial initiatives in the cross-border zones of Bulgaria and Greece “Its goal is to encourage entrepreneurship by supporting innovative ideas in the cross-border region,” Stoyanova stated adding that the leading organization is the Alexandria Innovation Zone which is worth EUR 85,000 and funded under the INTERREG Greece - Bulgaria 2014-2020 programme master classes were held in two modules in 2022 and 2023 but in the process of work we expanded the audience and many young people from the region as well as students from other universities The graduates of these classes also received special certificates from UNWE The regional centre has also implemented a project for the exchange of teachers with the University of Peloponnese and is currently launching a UNWE project for international training which will be held at the University of Malta Stoyanova emphasised that the regional centre is a significant institution that provides an opportunity for young people to upgrade their education and improve their qualifications so that they remain and realize their abilities (here)," she pointed out namely for knowledge to reach a large number of the public" Schools and educational institutions in Haskovo Region have the possibility to develop and improve their training thanks to the opportunity to invest European funds in education said during a local conference here on Wednesday "Through the activities that schools and kindergartens manage to implement under various projects that are part of the programme talented students can be supported," she added pointing out that the programme also provides support to children in small settlements and segregated areas Kasabova noted that that several projects are currently being implemented in educational institutions in Haskovo Region one of which is aimed at modernization of vocational education and is being implemented in nine vocational high schools and seven secondary schools with vocational classes “The main goal of this project is to adapt education to the dynamics of the labour market and develop students’ skills for current and future professions,” Kasabova pointed out which is being implemented in the region at the moment “Its main goal is to encourage and develop the potential for personal development of students for their permanent inclusion in school education and improve their educational results,” Kasabova said adding that with the implementation of the activities under the project additional pedagogical and non-pedagogical specialists were brought forth to educational institutions to provide general and additional support for personal development kindergartens had the opportunity to appoint additional pedagogical specialists "With the financial resources that were provided to them this gave them great opportunities," Kasabova emphasized STEM centres have been built in 11 schools in the region the procedure has begun in 61 schools and the activities are at different stages," she concluded also known as the "Bulgarian Icarus," stands out as a unique global attraction the sculpture depicts a man with outstretched arms and feathered wings skeletal hands reach out to pull the wings down and break them symbolizing the theme of envy stifling ambition towering at 3 meters high and weighing 1 ton It is installed on a large granite base in the heart of Haskovo The inscription beneath the statue reads: "Invidia gloriae assiduus comes est" – meaning "Envy is a constant companion of glory." the world’s first and only Monument of Envy Tenev - Guspata is also known for other notable works in Haskovo executive director of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Management Professionals one-third of Bulgarian hoteliers are planning a modest price increase of about 10% Tourism in Bulgaria has made significant strides toward recovery in 2024 though it still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels of 2019 Bulgaria continues to lag behind neighboring countries in achieving significant growth in its tourism sector Despite the global escalation of the trade war there have been no significant negative trends in Bulgaria’s tourism sector so far Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh announced that work has begun on the creation of a tourist police in Bulgaria a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria has halted all its operations effective April 24 chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel Association highlighted a major issue in Bulgaria’s tourism sector: a significant decline in the workforce A military company from the 31st Mechanized Brigade based in Haskovo was sent on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo on Thursday with a prayer service from Bishop Polycarp of Belogradchik and icons of St George took place in the central square in Haskovo in the presence of the Chief of Defence senior military personnel and representatives of local authorities The Bulgarian military will be part of Regional Command-West (RC-W) in NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) peacekeeping mission The 100-strong formation will have four Mercedes vehicles and 13 Ford Ranger off-road vehicles The troops will be based in Camp Villaggio Italia in Peja/Pec the servicemen will perform tasks related to patrolling a two-day exercise was held on February 12 and 13 in an urban environment "I am satisfied with the preparation of the contingent The participants earned a 'combat-ready' rating and received top marks across all evaluation criteria," Admiral Eftimov told journalists adding that the pay rise in the armed forces was yielding results in motivation Asked about a possible Bulgarian participation in a future peacekeeping mission of European forces in Ukraine, Eftimov said that he concurred with the Defence Minister The Chief of Defence noted that the Ministry had not carried out any planning or analysis "which does not mean that we are not following the processes within NATO and the negotiations" The body of a wanted 18-year-old girl from Haskovo was found in an abandoned house in Haskovo Magdalena Ruseva disappeared on Saturday morning and was declared wanted The investigation is on suspicion of murder and no evidence of kidnapping was found at that time three more regions in Bulgaria will declare a flu epidemic Vratsa will implement the measures until January 31 the Haskovo district has extended its anti-epidemic measures through January 31 specific time slots have been introduced for scheduled consultations of healthy pregnant women and children These will take place between 8:30 and 10:00 in the morning and from 14:00 to 15:30 in the afternoon in-person educational activities in Haskovo will be suspended next week and Vidin—now have schools temporarily closed this applies only to students within the Vidin municipality Similar anti-epidemic measures are already in place in Dobrich and consultations for healthy pregnant women and children have been halted Visits to hospitals and specialized social institutions for children and adults are also restricted a strict morning health screening is being enforced to prevent the admission of children showing flu-like symptoms or signs of respiratory illnesses Continuous disinfection of surfaces and regular ventilation of rooms are being carried out as additional precautionary measures Bulgaria commemorates one of its most significant national holidays – the Day of Saint George the Victorious and the official Day of the Bulgarian Army all retailers in Bulgaria will be required to display prices in both leva and euros Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents 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 A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident Todor Kantardzhiev warned that Sofia's sewer system should be cleared of rats They highlighted that health security cannot be fully achieved without robust vaccination programs former director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases which can sense human breathing from up to 20 meters away the obstetrics and gynecology department at the "Rahila Angelova" Multi-Profile Hospital in Pernik will be shut down due to a significant shortage of medical staff Cases of acute gastrointestinal illness continue to be reported in Bansko Prof Ivo Hristov Sunday met with intellectuals in Haskovo to express firm support for BSP - United Left's top candidate Vladimir Marinov and the other candidates of the coalition its local campaign headquarters said."All of us will be disgraced if we are the people to put 'The End' sign on 1300-year-old Bulgaria He said he felt anguished to see the proverbial obedience of a large part of the people in the face of mass poverty "We need to put an adequate diagnosis to the current situation After 35 years [since the start of democratic changes] we have social disparity in the country empty of human potential and we also have primitivized people who cannot generate big ideas I will put it more simply and clearly: a population which is always waiting for someone to fix it," Hristov said He added that the Bulgarian parties should realize that their action or inaction can put an end to Bulgaria it had a population of 9 million; 35 years later it has shrunk to 5.5 million Hristov said there is always hope if people vote United Energy Group (UEG) has successfully completed the acquisition of 100% of the capital of the Bulgarian company Green Profit EOOD the Hong Kong-based corporation acquires the right to build the Simeonovgrad - Polyanovo solar park with its planned production capacity of 250 MW is one of the largest solar facilities in Bulgaria The deal, legally consulted by the law firm Kinstellar, was finalized on November 15, 2024, although the news about it was already reported by Economic.bg back in April Economic.bg check in the documentation shows that the Haskovo company was acquired through UEG Clean Energy a subsidiary of the above-mentioned holding at a purchase price of 37.5 million euros using the group's own funds specializes in oil and gas exploration and production the company registered in Hong Kong will acquire the easement right over several land properties located in the city of Haskovo it received the right to build the Simeonovgrad solar plant with a capacity of 70 MW as well as the Polyanovo photovoltaic plant with a capacity of 180 MW The company also becomes the owner of the relevant auxiliary infrastructures and connecting facilities of the mentioned land properties "the group intends to start the construction of the project and put into operation the largest solar facility in Bulgaria by 2025." Green Profit is a Haskovo-based company owned by Delcho Pehlivanov The contract between the companies was signed on March 29 with the event attended by MP Zhecho Stankov (GERB) the executive director of the electricity system operator (ECO) Angelin Tsachev the executive chairman of United Energy Group Yu Song and the vice president of UEG Leslie Zhang as well as the vice president of the Italian industrial organization (Confindustria Bulgaria) and EUG engineer Plamen Dilkov top-of-the-list candidate of the Blue Bulgaria Coalition in Haskovo Saturday argued that there is governance and communication chaos regarding the green transition "The employees affected by layoffs at Maritsa East Mines are wandering in a maze of half-hearted statements completely contradictory expert opinions and conclusions like Europe is pushing us towards the abyss," she noted I started to speak in the public space as a presidential candidate that our country can build an innovative model for energy independence and security for Bulgaria Then I invited representatives of all possible institutions - the Presidency representatives of civil society organizations a Bulgarian company had created a prototype - a technology for extracting brown gas from seawater could have been turned into a huge national-scale energy complex employing many of the staff about to be laid off from he coal-fired power plants," she went on to say the question on the agenda is why the Maritsa East thermal power plant  is going away and why the workers there are protesting "Because they are not being told the truth and in no way the workers in this strategic sector are being told the situation as it is and no one has taken any action to find a solution," Kirilova added A partial state of emergency has been declared in three municipalities in the Haskovo region of Bulgaria due to a large fire near Svilengrad with the fire originating in the village of Studena The strong winds are exacerbating the situation and the road to the village has been closed using heavy machinery to create clearings and prevent the fire from reaching populated areas a fire has been brought under control but teams remain to monitor for re-ignition The situation is similar in the village of Strem where the fire is now under control with no danger to populated areas and evacuated residents have returned home safely part of the forest and dry grasses are still burning but the fire department has control of the situation with helicopters assisting in dousing the flames the fire in the village of Radovets is localized and under observation A significant fire has also erupted near Plovdiv affecting the villages of Pesnopoi and Mihiltsi Over 70 forest employees and firefighters are battling the blaze which has consumed nearly 2,000 decares in a pine forest located in the rugged inaccessible terrain of the Chukorliyski Bair area a partial state of emergency has been declared in Hisarya and Kaloyanovo with local authorities warning residents to keep windows closed and stay indoors due to heavy smoke Volunteers are urgently needed for firefighting efforts in the Miromir area are experiencing significant fire activity A red code for fire danger has been issued for 21 regions across Northern and Southern Bulgaria with an orange code for Central and Eastern Bulgaria prompting local authorities to impose partial states of emergency in some areas fire safety and protection teams are actively working to safeguard affected populations and properties with the fire spreading over more than 10,000 decares and resulting in the destruction of three houses Over 25 individuals in the Haskovo region have been fined for starting fires with 25 people sheltered at the Ustrem Monastery Authorities are urging the public to avoid activities that could start new fires such as discarding unextinguished cigarettes or lighting dry grass The Ministry of the Interior has listed several active and localized fires across multiple regions emphasizing the ongoing firefighting efforts and the significant areas affected Farmers are particularly concerned about the risk to agricultural produce and are advocating for a fire alarm system in small settlements to enable quicker response times and minimize damage The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows Bulgarian citizens to receive emergency medical treatment free of charge while traveling within the European Union in the industrial zone near the Meden Rudnik district in Burgas A partial state of emergency has been declared in the Nedelino Municipality by Mayor Boyan Kehayov due to power outages affecting three villages with certain regions expected to soon reach epidemic levels Moldova will introduce a state of emergency nationwide for a duration of 60 days due to concerns over a potential halt in Russian gas supplies starting January 1st Israel has turned to Bulgaria for assistance in battling the rapidly advancing wildfires in areas near Jerusalem The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale A woman sustained serious injuries after being attacked with pepper spray and an electroshock device and subsequently set on fire inside a hospital in the Bulgarian town of Botevgrad A 25-year-old man is in critical condition following an accident at the amusement park in Yambol A serious traffic accident in the Bulgarian town of Harmanli has left a 13-year-old child in critical condition after he was struck by a car while riding an electric scooter declared a partial state of emergency in the municipalities of Lyubimets and Harmanli following wildfires in Sakar mountain The fires ignited yesterday afternoon near the villages of Oryahovo there is currently no immediate threat to residential areas Around 4,000 acres of dry grass and shrubs are ablaze with ten fire department teams actively combating the fires on site provided details: "We are dealing with two fires totaling approximately 4,000 acres of dry bushes and deciduous forest The fire near Oryahovo is currently under control with ongoing efforts to extinguish it using chainsaws while our focus also remains on the fire near Izvorovo." The exact cause of the fires remains unclear though firefighters suspect human negligence may be involved Governor Ginka Raicheva explained her decision to declare a partial state of emergency citing windy conditions and the potential risk of the fires spreading to inhabited or agricultural areas she reassured the public that there is no imminent danger at this moment Efforts to manage the smoldering fires at the old sludge depot near the Plovdiv village of Katunitsa are ongoing US Federal authorities are investigating incidents of fires at two ballot drop boxes in the Portland area of Oregon as well as a separate fire in the nearby Vancouver area of Washington For travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States Outside of Bulgaria: 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225 Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world Find the closest American Space in Bulgaria where you can connect with the U.S “Now we look forward to seeing rapid progress on this project.”  – U.S Ambassador to Bulgaria Herro Mustafa regarding the Interconnection Greece-Bulgaria gas transit pipeline Ambassador Herro Mustafa travelled to Haskovo District in Bulgaria today to inspect construction progress on the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria gas transit pipeline Ambassador Mustafa joined Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Azerbaijani Ambassador to Bulgaria Nargiz Gurbanova Greek Ambassador to Bulgaria Dimitrios Chronopoulos and other government officials at the construction site Ambassador Mustafa particularly recognized the efforts of ICGB CEO Teodorga Georgieva “whose timeless efforts were critical to bring us to where we are today – witnessing the start of construction work.” “Let us recall a simple but powerful principle: Energy security is national security It is a project that will greatly enhance Bulgaria’s national security and sovereignty and bring the promise of lower energy costs to the Bulgarian consumer,” Ambassador Mustafa told the assembled crowd in the Bulgarian language  “Now we look forward to seeing rapid progress on this project We also welcome the Bulgarian government’s intention to support – via an ownership stake and capacity booking – the Alexandroupolis Floating Storage and Regasification Unit – which will magnify the power of the IGB to turn Bulgaria into a truly dynamic gas hub,” Ambassador Mustafa told reporters We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience The water in the Harmanli village of Biser is restricted for drinking and cooking due to elevated manganese values During the last sampling from the Water and Sewerage Service – Haskovo manganese values of 147 ± 15 µg/l were recorded at a maximum allowable value of 50 µg/l a ban on the use of the water is imposed until the discrepancies in the „manganese“ indicator are eliminated The water company must provide water for the population with water carriers 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 Chargé d’Affaires Friedman visited Haskovo’s Bell Kindergarten and observed the great work school faculty and staff are doing to educate children government funded a $200,000 USD renovation of the school bathrooms and constructed a canopy over the entrance and installed outside lights Embassy Sofia partnership with Haskovo Municipality proudly supports education plans to build a solar power plant in the municipality… 0 The intention is for Enery BG 1’s photovoltaic (PV) power plant to span a total area of some 400 hectares Its projected annual output is 560 GWh of electricity which would ensure averting nearly 670,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year The Haskovo municipal assembly is due to vote on the plan on August 28 The Sofia-registered company has secured a preliminary consent from the Haskovo mayor to gain rights to build the plant without competitive bidding and the municipal assembly is due to vote on the proposal on August 28 The solar park would be built on 19 properties in two Haskovo villages and the price the investor would pay is to be determined on a market basis by an independent appraiser immediately after the start of project development Enery BG 1’s owner bought Bulgaria’s biggest solar park Karadzhalovo Enery BG1 is owned by Austria’s Enery Development which agreed and obtained regulatory approval earlier this year to buy Bulgaria’s biggest solar park from a Saudi company The Karadzhalovo photovoltaic plant has an installed capacity of 60.4 MW Enery Development has also announced plans to build a 65 MW solar park near the city of Dimitrovgrad The Haskovo solar plant is expected to sell electricity through corporate power purchase agreements The Haskovo solar plant is expected to operate entirely on market principles based on corporate power purchase agreements with private or public customers with over 400 employees to be involved in the construction over six months The benefits for the Haskovo municipality will also include local taxes and fees both in the construction phase and during decades of operation Be the first one to comment on this article 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 one of the largest wind turbine manufacturers in the world 30 April 2025 - OMV put into operation its 10 MW green hydrogen plant at the Schwechat refinery © CENTER FOR PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008-2020 website developed by ogitive The Monument of the Holy Mother of God in Hoskovo Bulgaria stands more than 100-ft tall (30 meters) and is visited by pilgrims and tourists alikeHaskovo is the seventh largest urban area in Bulgaria As it is close to the Aegean Sea and the Greek and Turkish borders of the country it enjoys Mediterranean-like weather during its long summers (from May to October approximately) and continental-climate conditions in winter Haskovo is home to fewer than 200,000 people is the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus in the world The tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in the world is still the Monument to Our Lady of Peace in Venezuela but the Philippines are about to finish a new known as the “Monument of the Holy Mother of God,” stands at a total height of 31 meters (102 feet when you include the pedestal where a small Orthodox chapel is included) at the top of a hill in the southwest of the city so it can be seen from anywhere in the city The work of several different local artists The Virgin Mary is the patroness of the city of Haskovo the feast of the Nativity of the Mother on God was officially proclaimed as the Day of Haskovo in 1993 the municipal council of the city approved the construction of the monument Donations from the citizens of Haskovo and the sales of postcards with the image of the future monument (2.50 euros each) made it possible to collect all the funds needed quite quickly the Monument of the Holy Mother of God is the main symbol of Hoskovo and one of the top 100 tourist sites of Bulgaria Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Three Bulgarian municipalities will not receive EU funding under the cross-border cooperation programs between Bulgaria and Turkey The reason is that Turkey bans partnerships with municipalities who recognise the Armenian genocide Bulgaria has declared a Turkish diplomat working at the Consulate General in Burgas persona non-grata the Bulgarian press reported yesterday (21 February) Hundreds of thousands of Christian Armenians died during forced removals in 1915 by the Ottoman army from what is now Eastern Turkey but Turkey denies that the move constituted genocide The country's attitude vis-à-vis the bloodshed in 1915 is one of the defining aspects of modern Turkish diplomacy with any use of the term ‘genocide’ either within Turkey or abroad swiftly denounced by Ankara Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was killed in 2007 after openly saying that the events of 1915 were genocide The region of Haskovo is studded with remains of its millennial past The most interesting archaeological finds are on display at the Regional Museum of History in the town including artifacts from different historical layers starting from antiquity and an ethnographic collection to an exposition called “20th century Haskovo and its people”  The museum gets a lot of visits by school-goers but the town does not seem to be so popular with tourists “The reason is lack of advertising and insufficiently developed infrastructure Which is amply made up for by the popularity of the museum centre in Alexandrovo village and the tomb of Alexandrovo which are well-known throughout Bulgaria and abroad,” says Vesselina Uzunova chief curator of the “Most modern Bulgarian history” department in an interview with the BNR’s Hristo Botev channel.Vesselina Uzunova is also screenwriter of a documentary series called “Mysteries and stories in the museum” with director and cameraman Nikolay Skerlev “It is a documentary series about the cultural heritage of the region of Haskovo we tell different stories connected with a given exhibit from our exposition with reenactments documentary sources and some very pleasurable original music,” Vesselina Uzunova explains One of the topics presented is entitled “The unbowed Shishmanovs” and is dedicated to a famed 19th century clan from Haskovo The house belonging to Hristodul Vulchev Shishmanov a man with a significant contribution to the town’s development in culture and education will soon be opened to the public after remaining closed for around 30 years Vesselina Uzunova says and goes on:“The topics include Uzundzhovo monastery and the church-mosque the ancient cult complex known as the “Deaf Stones” the only nymphaeum in Bulgaria near Kasnakovo village etc We have an episode about world-renowned Bulgarian violinist Nedyalka Simeonova as well as about talented tenor Asparuh Leshnikov We present the tomb of Alexandrovo through the eyes of the man who discovered it We also have an ethnographic episode – about the role of women through the ages and an episode about the 2nd century fortress Holy Spirit in the resort of Mineralni Bani We also trace the history of the first monument to the unknown soldier in Haskovo’s central square We have an episode about the rock churches near the villages of Mihalich and Matochina in the vicinity of Svilengrad which are fascinating yet are still relatively unknown to adventure-seeking tourists,” Vesselina Uzunova says further  Many of the abovementioned sights and individuals connected with Haskovo and the surrounding area are familiar to the people who follow Radio Bulgaria from a series of interviews The documentary film project “Mysteries and stories in the museum” is funded under a European financial mechanism in partnership with Iceland Each episode will be available for viewing at Kirkovo school – one more site to be opened in April will be able to watch the episode of their choosing there Some of the episodes will be uploaded on the internet 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. english@bnr.bg The fifth round of the EMX65 and EMX85 Motocross European Championship (South Eastern leg) was held yesterday in Haskovo (Bulgaria) Saturday welcomed the riders with sunny and hot weather hard pack track for the practices and the qualifying race the weather conditions changed dramatically in the morning – non stop heavy rain during the whole day and low temperatures The difficult weather conditions and the heavy mud on the track forced the organizers to cancel the second races for both classes EMX65 and EMX85 However the first race of the EMX65 saw a victory of the current leader of the standings for the SE Zone – Tommaso Bertotto from Hungary (KTM) followed by the Moldovian Igor Cuharciuc (KTM) and third finished Dimitar Petrov from Bulgaria with KTM the Romanian rider Robert Tompa (Suzuki) continued his sucessful streak in the series by seeing the chequered flag at the first position leaving Hakan Halmi from Bulgaria (KTM) and Luka Crnkovic from Croatia (KTM) corespondingly on the next two position with a gap of almost 2 minutes Next and final event of the EMX65 and EMX85 Sout Eastern qualification leg will be held in Globare (Serbia) on the 6th and 7th of July (UEM Press Release 56/2013) | Copyright 2025 FIM Europe | Terms of use - Privacy statement | But what Haskovo is best known for is being the town of the Virgin Mary The nearly 33-metre high figure of the Virgin Mary holding the Child in her arms was erected in 2003 on Yamacha Hill - one of the easternmost heights of the Eastern Rhodopes The magnificent sculpture can be seen from any point of the city and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's tallest monument of the Virgin and Child offering a breathtaking view of the town and its vicinities "The bells are made in the Veleganov Bell Foundry - one of the oldest in Bulgaria Twice a day Haskovo reverberates with its crystalline chime," says Mitra Todorova from TIC-Haskovo visitors will see another "one of a kind" monument - the world's only monument to Envy It represents a human figure spreading wings of feathers in an attempt to fly What else can we see in the city of Virgin Mary "You can visit the Regional History Museum which has 5 very interesting expositions - from archaeology to recent history and ethnography - explains Mitra Todorova from Tourist Infomation Centre Haskovo - You can also see Paskaleva House - a unique model of Renaissance architecture which illustrates the transition from rural to urban life of the wealthy inhabitants of the town there are other beautiful Renaissance houses in Haskovo that form a small borough We also have two very interesting churches." archaeologists came across a unique find: a 4th-century BC tomb with amazing frescoes There is a perfect copy of this tomb in the building of “Thracian art in the Eastern Rhodopes” museum centre which preserves rich expositions related to the life and lifestyle of our ancient ancestors "This is the area where the Thracians left the most traces sharapans (paired circular hollows in the rock for making wine) sacrificial shrines and many other sacral rock sites A gold treasure dating back to 4500-4000 BC discovered in the Sakar Mountains is exhibited in the Museum Centre The ornaments are similar to the items from the Varna Necropolis and are among the oldest gold artefacts in the world The most amazing thing about it is the incredible craftsmanship The gold elements have holes which are so tiny that only a horsehair could pass through them The technique used by our ancestors to hang these gold pieces on jewellery is still a mystery," says Mitra Todorova Scattered on a small hill near the resort village of Mineralni Bani are the remains of the Sveti Duh (Holy Spirit) Roman fortress The fortress was built in the 2nd century on the site of a Roman-era structure The fortress has been inhabited for nearly 1000 years Near the village of Uzundzhovo you can see the Church of the Assumption - the largest village Christian temple in Bulgaria and once the center of one of the largest trade fairs in the Ottoman Empire Check out our post about the natural phenomenon Stone Mushrooms in the Eastern Rhodopes: “Thracian art in the Eastern Rhodopes” museum centre