Our promise towards a carbon-neutral future EconiQ Consulting supports customers addressing their unique environmental performance needs Meet IdentiQ™ digital twin for sustainable Service is our commitment to the world’s largest existing installed base and the future of the energy system Accelerating a clean energy transition with a range of solutions for solar Discover the people and technologies behind the multiple pathways towards a carbon-neutral future Advancing a sustainable energy future for all we are co-creating global and local solutions to benefit society Get in-depth insights on topics and trends in the energy sector from industry thought leaders in this animation series about the world of electricity and sustainable energy Diversity and inclusion are the core of our success Press Release | Norway | 21.12.2021 | 3 min read the global technology and market leader in power grids is evolving to Hitachi Energy committed to advancing a sustainable energy future for all Hitachi Energy champions the urgency of a clean energy transition through innovation and collaboration and continues to build on its heritage The new company is committed to advancing a sustainable energy future for all Hitachi Energy is operating in Bulgaria with a high-voltage production unit in Sevlievo and two locations in Sofia – A Research & Development facility and office in the heart of the capital The company employs around 650 people in Bulgaria and manages major solar parks across the country Exciting anniversary for the local production The LCC is an important component usually installed near the Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substation providing exceptional control and protection The production of the LCCs is project-based and each product is customized according to the specification of our customers “I’m excited about this milestone and can’t be happier that we have such an amazing team of professionals capable of delivering a world-class product with a superior quality” the newly assigned Executive Manager of Hitachi Energy’s production unit in Sevlievo ”I’m joining the Sevlievo team in such an important moment to celebrate a decade of superior LCC production and also to welcome our employees in the newly formed company Hitachi Energy It is an exciting time to join our company and support us on our journey!” Hitachi Energy’s production unit in Bulgaria is continuously developing its footprint and investing in its talents The company presents a unique opportunity to people across Bulgaria to join a world leader with the ambition to be at the forefront of the energy transition Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable flexible and secure whilst balancing social Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland we employ around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.  https://www.hitachienergy.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy Sevlievo in Central Bulgaria is hosting the festival “Seme Balgarsko” the organizers have a colourful traditional lineup “The festival will enable visitors to meet manufacturers of Bulgarian products arts and crafts masters from near and far and will take them back in time to the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet,” the organizers say Support will be given to a charity campaign targeted at couples with reproductive problems; 22,000 trees will be handed out For the children there will be workshops where they will be able to make kites guests to the festival will be able to meet the “cosmic voice” of Bulgaria folk singer from the Rhodopes Valya Balkanska 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. english@bnr.bg HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? The baker says, “Sorry, we just ran out of bread, but we’ve got plenty of politicians who’ll promise to bring some tomorrow!”... read The Bulgarian replied, "Simple, we just put everything in a pot, add a little rakia, and let the flavors fight it out!" It’s a recipe for success… and possibly a ... read While speaking briefly with the media, Trump took a question on the stock market drop following the tariffs and said, "I think it's going very well," and added that the United States will "have six or seven trillion dollars coming into our country."He further said, "The markets are going ... read 'This is not the time to go it alone,' Rutte warns, as he says 'no alternative to NATO'Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte is speaking again, giving a lecture at the Warsaw School of Economics in which he strongly backs the role of the alliance and tells both Europe and the ... read Capturing spring in Bulgaria: A blooming season through our lens Spring in Bulgaria is a time of vibrant renewal marked by blooming flowers and milder weather the countryside transforms with colorful wildflowers such as snowdrops Cities and villages alike celebrate the season » See all photos 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 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 Ambassador Rubin met with Sevlievo Mayor Ivan Ivanov and local Sevlievo business leaders to discuss U.S We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience marked its 90th anniversary on Saturday with a ceremony in Sevlievo where the country's President Rumen Radev and First Lady Dessislava Radeva were special guests The company started as a metalworking cooperative in 1934 After the communist takeover in Bulgaria in 1944 it was converted into a sanitary fittings plant it became part of a joint venture majority-owned by US company American Standard as American Standard underwent complete restructuring its European operation was transformed into a Belgian-headquartered company named Ideal Standard International which has been owned successively by a number of US investment companies Ideal Standard Vidima operates two factories in Sevlievo for sanitary fittings and sanitary ceramics It develops Eastern European markets for Ideal Standard International It employs 3,000 people and exports to more than 100 countries worldwide President Radev said in a speech that a business can be successful only if it implements strong social policies for its employees and if every one of them feels well He noted that the transformation of the Sevlievo company into a high-tech export-oriented business as a successful model for the Bulgarian economy He also noted the successful implementation of green and circular-economy policies product development and investments in high-tech manufacturing and the modern management owing to which the company has found new international partners and markets "Keep on doing what it takes to make the young people of Sevlievo and the surrounding area stay here instead of seeking a livelihood in other towns and countries," Radev said the sanitaryware company has set an example with its support for the education and the development of local young people "Your success makes a difference in addressing the greatest challenge of our society which calls for solutions to regional imbalances," he said The celebration was also attended by Sevlievo Mayor Ivan Ivanov and Gabrovo Regional Governor Maria Basheva President Radev received an anniversary badge of honour from the company He was shown around the sanitary fittings factory and talked with the management Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages the practice and qualifying of the EMX 65 and 85 South East Zone European Motocross Championships have been held today in hot | Copyright 2025 FIM Europe | Terms of use - Privacy statement | Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature WWF® and ©1986 Panda Symbol are owned by WWF You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Lucas Coenen and Andrea Adamo ruled proceedings for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at a muddy Agueda for the Portuguese Grand Prix and the seventh round of 2025 MXGP The Belgian and Italian won their Qualification Heats and the difficult and demanding motos in MXGP and MX2 for an ‘orange wash’ with KTM SX-F technology Lap-times and shredded rubber continued to fly at Jerez for the first of three mid-season testing days in 2025 and the full Red Bull KTM complement were circulating the sun-backed asphalt Maverick Viñales notched the 2nd quickest chrono from the day with Pedro Acosta also in the top five Jerez was once more a packed and passionate stage for MotoGP and the scene for Red Bull KTM Tech3 Maverick Viñales to again show podium potential #12 rode to 4th position at the Spanish Grand Prix and the first date of a long European stint of the 2025 calendar as all four KTM RC16s classified in the top nine of the rankings Jose Antonio Rueda dominated the Moto3™ Grand Prix with the KTM RC4 To login and signup KTM Motohall GmbHKTM Platz 15230 Mattighofen, Austria +43 7742 6000 1953press.motohall@ktm.comwww.ktm-motohall.com Bulgarian Motorcycling Federation (BMF) was in charge of hosting in Sevlievo (Bulgaria) the second round of the South Eastern Zone EMX85 & EMX65 together with the second round of EMX Open More than six thousand spectators gathered to the renowned MX track to enjoy the races Larger chunks of ice were reported in the villages of Gorna Rositsa a large hailstone the size of an egg hit near the village of Yavorets Following the hailstorm that fell this afternoon in the Sevlievo region there is no information about injured people and property He added that the second hail of the day was the size of a 2 BGN coin and there were reports of damaged plantations in the area of the village of Sennik there were no reports of damage or injured people There is information about fallen trees that were promptly removed This is the second storm to pass through the area in just 24 hours After yesterday's there was serious crop damage and fallen trees Populated places in the Lovech region were without electricity for more than 20 hours More news from Bulgaria the races of the EMX 65 and 85 South East Zone European Motocross Championships have been held today in hot The first overall winners have been crowned at the 2018 Sevlievo stop The European Motocross Championship classes of EMX300 presented by FMF Racing and EMX250 finished their Bulgarian weekend this morning with Verde Substance KTM’s Brad Anderson taking the overall victory but the biggest news was the Overall win of Honda RedMoto Assomotor’s Mathys Boisrame which crowns the Frenchman 2018 EMX250 Champion (photo 2) Steep hillsides and challenging track conditions put the riders in a battle for position The beautiful track and surrounding nature hosted thousands of fans as they watched some of the best riders fight in what was the penultimate round in both of the European Championships Revo Husqvarna UK’s Mel Pocock lost his radiator cap at the start of the race and later collided with another rider sending the Brit out of the race with a DNF Apico Factory Racing Honda’s Steven Clarke had multiple mishaps and fell from 8th to 15th before eventually finishing 13th At the finish it was a race win for Moreau which marked the first of his EMX250 career as Boisrame took second followed by Vialle while Ivanov took the final spot in the top 5 Boisrame came into 2018 with 1 overall victory to his name in 2017 and 2 race wins This year the young French rider reached the top step of the overall podium 5 times with 6 individual race wins His season turned around massively after the opening round of the year at RedSand Spain where he took 18th overall with a 15th and a 19th The eight points scored in Spain was multiplied in Portugal however when his double race wins gave him 50 more points In Russia Boisrame struggled again scoring 23 points from the two races combined Latvia proved to many including himself that the success of Portugal was no fluke as he took his second overall victory of the season The Frenchman continued his success into his home race where he claimed the Championship leader’s red plate Now at the tenth round of the eleven this season Boisrame has claimed the title which seemed so distant in Spain and can rest easy as the 2018 FIM Europe 250 Motocross Champion the EMX 65 / EMX 85 European Championship – South East zone moved to Sevlievo Despite two weeks of pouring rain in the region the venue was well prepared and the GP Circuit of Gorna Rositza the EMX85 class saw Bulgarian rider Georgi Ginov (KTM) did a perfect performance starting from Saturday up to the last three laps of Race 2 on Sunday a flat tyre took him out of competition and the Serbian rider Vuk Gajic (KTM) took the Overall win thanks to a better second race the third step of the podium went to Hasan Husein Bas (KTM) from Turkey In EMX65 Anna Kolnokoov (KTM) from Serbia managed to win both heats without any mistakes ahead of home riders Nikolay Pavlov (Yamaha) and Pavel Markov (KTM) unfortunately had mechanical problems in the warm up and was not able to show his talent in the main races Next round of the series will take place in Afyonkarahisar (Turkey) on the 20th-21st May Visit our Motocross page  www.fim-europe.com EMX 65 85 European Championship: South East zone Visit our Motocross page MXGP and FIM Europe announce an update to the 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship calendar This season will now include the return of former GP host Sevlievo Bulgaria for the MXGP of Bulgaria on August 25th and 26th Last visited in 2014 the beautiful Sevlievo circuit is full of natural terrain circuit and has seen the World Championship 12 times since 2002 Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Clement Desalle Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin have all won in Bulgaria with Cairoli The first round of the EMX65 / EMX85 European Championship South East zone took place this weekend in Sevlievo officially launching the South East zone’s season With the South West and Central Europe zones already underway and deep into their campaigns after their first and second rounds the South East zone now joins the action-packed 2025 season known for its world-class facilities and challenging layout provided the perfect stage for young talents to showcase their skills and kickstart their championship journey The weekend delivered thrilling racing across both classes In very hard track conditions due to heavy rain of Saturday night riders from across the region gave it their all on the demanding Sevlievo circuit which challenged their abilities with its fast sections With valuable championship points at stake setting the tone for fiercely competitive rounds ahead in the South East zone Automobiles from the escort of Bulgarian President caused a traffic accident near the northern city of Lovech Friday The information was reported by the Bulgarian National Radio who say three cars from the presidential procession have entered into opposite traffic and collided with a van Parvanov was on an official visit to the central town of Sevlievo for the celebrations dedicated to the 430th anniversary of declaring Sevlievo a town who began yelling the presidential cars have caused an accident near the village of Malinovo One of the witnesses identified himself as Simeon Marinchev and told reporters that cars from the official procession entered into the opposite lane hitting the shoulder fencing and another vehicle Witnesses further said one person was injured Parvanov's security firmly denied the allegations however it was triggered by the man who is the main accuser – he started passing The security guards further explained they did not even notice something has happened and invited reporters to take pictures of their intact cars The presidential press office also denied the allegations stating three cars were moving in opposite traffic backed up and hit the third one – the one behind it adding there are no injuries from the fender-bender The people involved are currently questioned by the Lovech police also driven by an an employee National Security Service hit a SUV at an intersection on Bulgaria Blvd The Minister and a four-year-old girl who was riding in the jeep suffered minor injuries and were taken to the governmental hospital the automobiles of the National Security Service caused an accident on the road between the village of Priseltsi and the Black Sea capital Varna We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria An 18-year-old girl who had been reported missing in Haskovo has been found dead and the community bid farewell to 12-year-old Siyana who tragically lost her life in a serious car accident near Telish A Sudanese army plane crashed late on Tuesday in a residential area near the Wadi Sayidna military airport in northern Omdurman Two people were killed in a midair collision between two small aircraft at Marana Regional Airport in Arizona on Wednesday morning A 9-year-old girl has died at a school in Veliko Tarnovo and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of death Former Russian world champion figure skaters Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were reportedly among the passengers on the American Airlines regional jet that crashed into the Potomac River 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 pumpkin soup with ginger foam and cinnamon as well as mousse from pumpkin and apples will feast the guests of the Sevlievo Pumpkin Festival After preparing dishes for US President Bill Clinton actors such as Val Kilmer and Jean Claude Van Dam the culinary chef will present his recipes to the audience in Sevlievo This will happen on the last day of the pumpkin festival – Oct André Tokev will also judge the participants in the culinary exhibition “Pumpkin Temptations” A fun workshop and exhibition “Pumpkin fantasies” are scheduled for 3 p.m The program of the festival continues with the opening of the exhibitions of pumpkin works and awarding prizes for the biggest pumpkin and for the most creative fantasy in the making of a pumpkin work children from the kindergartens in Sevlievo will make the show “The Pumpkin Tale” The first fest of the festival will end with a concert of Krisia and the folk singer Radostina Panyova the audience will rejoice with their songs Gloria when Sevlievo celebrates the city’s feast will start with a celebration for Petkovden At 11 o’clock at the Liberty Square in the city In front of the guests and the residents of the city will appear Dansart Del Real City which will present traditional Spanish dances The program is followed by the songs and the hot flamenco of Coro Rosiero the Cuban-American rhythms of the Caribbean of Los Guaracheros and the presentation of traditional dances from the world by the Aswat Mundi group Then for the audience will dance from “Gracia” Club latino dance and Zumba in special workshops begin the lessons of on-air yoga and the traditions of Chinese crafts You will also be able to attend a tea ceremony and learn how to turn a poi During the day you will be able to hear the folk singer Ivan Diakov is the beginning of a show program with Nencho Balabanov Then the prizes from the festive lottery will be withdrawn and the evening will continue with a concert program The evening will end with a festive firework At night the museums and galleries in the city will work and the entrance will be free of charge The feast on October 15th will close chef André Tokev with his culinary reviews and fiesta Then the audience will be able to have a bite from the longest record holder „tikvenik“ /traditional dessert made from pumpkin It will be made from 63 kilograms of baking barks half a pound of vanilla and 200 grams of cinnamon I love to travel because of the encounters with diverse people and cultures and the chance to touch other worlds And this can happen even without leaving the borders of your own country you can travel thousands of years and dozens of borders without leaving your place the journey is not only beautiful landscapes and ancient landmarks but also thousands of human stories The two affiliates of Ideal Standard International that operate in the Bulgarian town of Sevlievo were formally merged in one company The merger between Ideal Standard Bulgaria and Ideal Standard Vidima was completed on January 31 company executives announced at a news conference in Sofia The merger was originally supposed to be finalized a day earlier; the merging did not affect the production operations of the two plants the two subsidiaries of Ideal Standard in Bulgaria are in a single company known as "Ideal Standard Vidima" Jsc Officials have announced that the reason behind the decision was to simplify the legal structure of Ideal Standard International in the countries where such procedure was possible They have pointed out that the merger of the two Bulgarian plants will strengthen the company's position as one of the largest private employers in Bulgaria with a total of 3 300 employees The merger is also supposed to help improve further the service provided to the end consumers thanks to better flexibility and efficiency The merger has not affected the labor contracts of the Bulgarian employees of Ideal Standard; the manufacturing operations of the company in Bulgaria will remain the same Ideal Standard Bulgaria produced ceramic sanitary fixtures and Ideal Standard Vidima was specialized in producing bathroom sanitary ware The united Bulgarian subsidiary of Ideal Standard will keep the production of the two affiliates and will also carry out the sales and distributions of bathroom solutions in Bulgaria and other European countries The management of the united Ideal Standard Vidima Jsc has been taken over by a Board of Directors Vasil Kanev will be the Board Chair and CEO of Ideal Standard Vidima and will retain the position of Vice President for Eastern Europe of Ideal Standard International The CEOs of the two former subsidiaries Krasimir Kopchev and Valentin Ganev will keep this positions as members of the Board and will continue to have executive functions in their fields The other members of the Board of Ideal Standard Vidima are Claudia Crescenzi Ideal Standard International is based in Brussels and in Latin America through a joint venture with Inseca Its international brands include Ideal Standard Boston-based private equity Bain Capital LLC is the principal shareholder in Ideal Standard International The company has 11 000 employees in over 20 countries Thanks to the massive investments of Ideal Standard International in Bulgaria the town of Sevlielov with population of 30 000 is one of the smaller towns in Bulgaria with the best standard of living A 28-year-old woman from Sevlievo is in critical condition after suffering severe injuries from a beating by the man she lived with A resident of the Sevlievo village of Sennik was shot last night in front of his home It’s a challenge to stay at one place for more than three days and each day to find what to do Situation is returning to normal after heavy rains and snowfall that claimed a woman's life and wreaked havoc across Bulgaria over the weekend An 11-year-old boy died following an explosion at a house in Bulgaria's northern town of Sevlievo on Saturday Swiss-based global engineering group ABB plans to invest about USD 23 M to build its second greenfield factory in Bulgaria Bulgaria's exports of alcoholic beverages totaled 30.4 million euros Bulgarian garment companies are struggling to find new markets due to the recent increase in tariffs on industrial goods under Donald Trump’s administration Bulgaria recorded the highest annual growth in construction output among EU member states The digital entertainment landscape is evolving rapidly with new platforms and experiences reshaping how we spend our leisure time Bulgaria has seen a record influx of workers from non-EU countries in recent years yet the demand for labor in various industries remains unmet Industrial production in Bulgaria continued to experience a downturn at the start of the year BG | EN Not a penny will enter the municipality of Sevlievo under the Rural Development Programme sub-measure “Implementation of operations within the framework of community-led local development strategies” manifested by the local administration and the vice- Mayor of the town Nevena Todorova She is also the Chairperson of the Management of the Local Initiative Group that has prepared a strategy for which funding should have been received under the programme This shows the check of “Pro Veritas” When you’re not in the backup list either „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 The 2023 EMX65 / EMX85 European Championship South East zone run the first race of the season in Sevlievo the first seasonal race out of six saw thrilling races in a friendly atmosphere In the first heat Serbian rider Ana Kolnookov tried to follow the leader but at the end was overtook by home rider Georgi Ginov and Turkish Efe Okur Ginov and Okur finished respectively second and third This time he raced until the end without mistakes Behind him Iliev and the Bulgarian Nikola Mutafchiev 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” Alarming levels of air pollution are plaguing several key cities across Bulgaria exceeding established safety thresholds by more than double as revealed by both the official European air quality index and the Bulgarian civil platform Responding to the precarious air quality in Sofia the municipal authorities urgently advocate for increased reliance on public transportation The European Environment Agency's index paints a worrying picture indicating poor to very bad air quality in Sofia and extensive regions in Sofia as severely polluted surpassing the average daily limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter for fine dust is attributed to domestic solid fuel usage the Metropolitan Municipality urges citizens to opt for public transport the announcement of the "green ticket" eco measure enabling a 1 BGN per day fare when fine dust levels exceed 150 micrograms remains undisclosed despite its introduction in 2019 Further recommendations advise drivers against idling car engines for over three minutes while households relying on wood or coal heating are encouraged to switch to more ecological alternatives like electric heating devices the Metropolitan Inspectorate intensifies inspections at car repair shops and unauthorized waste-burning areas to mitigate air pollution sources Health experts strongly advise individuals with respiratory ailments and the elderly to minimize prolonged outdoor exposure during these critical periods of severe pollution Recommendations also emphasize selecting routes away from major city boulevards and busy streets while walking 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 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 Injured motocross rider Pit Beirer regained consciousness over the weekend seven days on from the fateful crash which appears to have brought an end to his glittering career The German crashed heavily at the Bulgarian Grand Prix in Sevlievo and had to be airlifted to hospital for emergency treatment doctors discovered that Beirer's sixth thoracic vertebra was broken and that his spinal cord had been so badly damaged that it was unlikely that he would regain the use of his legs Injured motocross rider Pit Beirer regained consciousness over the weekend Beirer was kept in an artificial coma for the initial stage of his recovery but with sufficient improvement in the condition of his damaged lung the medics decided to switch off the respirator that had been helping him to breathe in order to allow him to start breathing naturally They also decided that there was no need to operate on the German's broken shoulder Beirer has not let the accident defeat him and he is already talking about how he is going to cope with he has admitted that he is happy to be alive © Crash Media Group Ltd 2025.The total or partial reproduction of text photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form 14 October is a special day for people in Sevlievo – it is the day when the town celebrates its patron saint after which the townspeople flock to the town square where pumpkins reign supreme – the symbol of the city since time immemorial different competitions are organized and prizes awarded – for best pumpkin recipes and for the farmers who have grown the biggest and longest pumpkins this year The pumpkin festival in Sevlievo is the highpoint of the traditional autumn festival in the town whose history goes back a long time – it was held for the first time in 1922 was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and has played an important role in the development of the economy in the region of Sevlievo Young musicians from 11 countries will take part in the first Sofia Cantus Firmus International Violin Competition organized with financial support from the National Culture Fund We’ve all heard of ideas that come to artists in their dreams That’s exactly how the melody for Orlin Pavlov’s new single “Syanka/Shadow” was born — he dreamt it he turned to brothers Milen Kukosharov and Rosen Kukosharov to bring the. The first edition of the Senza Frontiere International Music Stars Festival will bring together children and young people from all over Europe in the resort of Albena from 17 to 21 June 2025 The festival includes a competition and provides a platform. The first edition of the Senza Frontiere International Music Stars Festival will bring together children and young people from all over Europe in the. That’s exactly how the melody for Orlin Pavlov’s new single “Syanka/Shadow” was born — he. This is reported by the investigative group "Bellingcat" in a publication in which it reveals new details and specific names surrounding the explosions in the depots near the village of Lovnidol in Sevlievo in mid-November almost exactly 12 years ago As well as the assassination attempt against arms dealer Emilian Gebrev and sabotage in other European countries which "killed or injured dozens of civilians and led to the expulsion of Russian diplomats." The Russian publication "The Insider" obtained travel records and leaked correspondence from members of Unit 29155 which points to their culpability for the first attack in Bulgaria and partly answers the question of why so many of these operatives hold high political positions in Vladimir Putin's regime A key figure behind each of these "black ops" is General Andrey Averyanov (now 56) who inherited a large part of the empire that until recently belonged to Yevgeny Prigozhin the former commander of the Wagner mercenaries whose private plane was blown up in August after his own failed uprising in Russia He has the personal trust and patronage of Russian President Vladimir Putin Emails from an aide to Averyanov show that shortly after a visit to Moldova in March 2011 the general returned to Moscow and went to Krasnodar with four subordinates There began the plot to blow up the Bulgarian batch of ammunition and he organized a competition between three of his men to invent the devices for this attack Three remote detonator-triggered versions appeared complete with full specs and photos of what the basic infrastructure looks like for all the prototypes: DIY electronics All three look hastily put together in the photos with wires sticking out in various directions and copious use of scotch tape this product has a mechanical clock mechanism with a long range of activation and a fuse that ensures safety when working with the device at all stages," Major Vladimir Moiseev wrote to Averyanov in a document titled "Appendix #1." Moiseev adds that the range of the detonator is from 300 to 700 meters and indicates the detonation time after its activation - between 5 and 55 minutes "The product is ready for use," he wrote to Averyanov The technical parameters in the documentation describe a device weighing 3 kg dimensions 40/11/7.5 cm and powered by 1.5 Its operation is simple - after carrying it with the fuse on set to a certain time and after the timer has counted down the electrical supply of the remote detonator is activated thousands of Soviet-era artillery shells were being prepared for shipment to Bulgaria from a Czech ammunition depot to the small village of Vrbetice in the Czech Republic (where the sabotage took place on October 16 The facility is owned by a subsidiary of the Czech Ministry of Defense but has a long-term lease agreement with the Czech arms trading company IMEX Among its clients is Gebrev's Bulgarian EMCO @The Times - Photo after the blast in Vrbetice Georgia was actively looking for 152 mm shells and EMCO as one of the major European ammunition resellers in Europe according to Bellingcat contacted IMEX to prepare for shipment to Bulgaria thousands of this type of artillery shells between October 4 and November 4 Gebrev tells The Insider that he has not committed to selling the munitions to Georgia but suggests that Russia's Main Directorate (military intelligence better known as the GRU) may have suspected they would end up in that country The following is a detailed description of which employees of unit 29155 where and for how long they traveled and stayed in preparation for the sabotage in Bulgaria on November 11 The explosive devices were placed on trucks with shells that traveled nearly 1,200 km to Lovnidol and along the way there was a risk of them being triggered "Bulgaria probably has a national security interest in reopening the investigation of this case but it is not the only country that should do so," the publication also said Follow Bellingcat's work Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook Write to us at editors@novinite.com Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg According to Bulgaria's Military Intelligence Service report for 2023 Russia remains the dominant destabilizing force in global security A deviation in the operation of a system on the F-16 Block 70 fighter has been identified during the aircraft acceptance process according to the Bulgarian Air Force Commander The second F-16 Block 70 fighter jet purchased by Bulgaria has departed from the United States alongside European Council President Antonio Costa visited the Arsenal military plant in Kazanlak Russia and the volatile situation in the Western Balkans are identified as the primary threats to Bulgaria’s national security in the 2024 Bulgaria is actively defending its national interests within NATO according to Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov The 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship will be held at the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in The Netherlands In 2008 the Junior World Championship was held in Heerde with Jeffrey Herlings crowned as the 85cc World Champion The race is a showcase for the future stars of Motocross with past winners including the likes of Tim Gajser and Jago Geerts.  It is a great stepping stone to make it into the professional world of Motocross and experience competition with a similar feel to an MXGP weekend.  You can be certain that there will be factory scouts watching the progress of the best riders as well Last year we saw the French flyer Mathis Valin crowned as Junior World Champion in the 125cc ranks and Patricks Cirulis of Latvia won the 65cc World Cup.  Dutch rider Dani Heitink was the Junior World Champion in the 85cc class and he moves up to the 125cc class for 2024.  So… What other names will be on this list at the end of the day on Sunday 14th Commercial Vice President - East Europe Region at Ideal Standard International; Executive Director and Chairman of Board of Directors of Ideal Standard-Vidima AD for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg At the end of last year Ideal Standard-Vidima became one of the export companies that increased their production We are in the business of (super) durable goods When people are operating under the pressures of a crisis the last products they think about are construction materials To dub the moderate increase in sales volume a recovery would be rather premature I would like to point out that the biggest slump for the sanitary business swept with a malicious force over Western Europe in 2008 and resulted in disastrously low sales levels in Eastern Europe by 2009 we have put in tremendous efforts to counteract contraction with all managerial tools at our disposal: increasing the overall efficiency of our business we are on the way to recovery but it will take a yet unidentifiable number of years to reach the sales volumes of 2007 The realization that the recovery from the Great Recession 2008 will take many years ahead to materialize was voiced unequivocally by the Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke last week In the sanitary business we hope for a strong year 2012 in the residential housing market and in the project business (non-residential): hotels Slower economic growth in the construction sector has affected the production of bathroom equipment worldwide What measures did the company in Bulgaria take adapt to dynamic environment we are among the few companies in the sanitary business we offer not products but solutions for the bathroom by delivering sanitary fittings furniture and accessories and also products for non-residential purposes We are focusing on the best CRM (Customer Relationship Management) practices We approach our customer base with honesty about pricing We want our customers to appreciate our products and services We want the so-called "influencers"- architects and sales people to internalize our value proposition It may sound rather "scientific" but we really do not have much room for mistakes in this business The ceramics manufacturers world-wide give you a between 15-and 25 years warranty on their products That's why we address all aspects of the business accordingly: NPD (New Product development Ideal Standard is undoubtedly one of the best examples among foreign investors in Bulgaria Which was the decisive factor for making the American dream come true in the town of Sevlievo Our willingness to learn a new way of doing business made us stand out among a multitude of candidates for the investment We had the opportunity of a life-time to be offered the establishment of a joint-venture by a renowned multinational corporation 20 years ago (in April 1992) Of course we had had a sizable manufacturing background in the business of sanitary fittings; dating back to 1934 (We are looking forward to celebrating our 80th anniversary in 2014) it is our adaptability and flexibility during the tumultuous times of the late eighties and early nineties which must have convinced the investor to come and invest in Sevlievo Over the years we've proven our worthiness The investment in Sevlievo happened in several increments over a period between 1992 and 2000 always as a result of our performance and convincing results manufacturing aptitude and managerial acumen very positive attitude of the Sevlievo Municipality and the Government of Bulgaria over all those 20 years which created a regulatory environment customs-tailored for Ideal Standard – Vidima ID and thus very conducive to the willingness of the mother company to continue with the investment in Sevlievo As a result we have created a company (IS-Vidima AD) which was dubbed the "crown pearl" of the corporation in 2007 by a former CEO of ours How do you assess the business climate in Bulgaria as a manager who has been outside the country for years Bulgaria is gravely under-appreciated as an investment and business location by the international business community and often fall victims to our own pessimism Ideal Standard – Vidima advanced in only 5 years (1992-1997) from a location for outsourcing to a point at which we have been entrusted with a great deal of R&D work We are employing a sizable pool of R&D engineers in Sevlievo who are on a par in their skills with any of their counterparts in Western Europe It is rather the unfavorable demographics of Bulgaria that sets us back in terms of business opportunities the rest of Europe is in the same dire straits when it comes to demographics so we should find a way to balance the opportunities for all Bulgarians so that they can find a meaningful future at home rather than seek (uncertain) fortunes abroad Yet I am looking positively at the experience which Bulgarians are gathering abroad and would like to think that they (or some of them)  will one day contribute to the advancement of their home country How would you describe the dynamics of the investment flow to Bulgaria in the last decade energy and wine production as well as the low-tech industrial sectors which is fine but does not create well-paid jobs Mid-level and high-tech industrial jobs are the ones creating wealth The flourishing of the IT sector is a good thing but apart from the fact that it is leaning heavily towards back-offices and call-centers it is creating a lope-sided picture of the business climate and opportunities here We need an industrial base and a modern agricultural sector and also a modern IT presence on a European level They will create the well-paid jobs and ultimately will make life meaningful for the next generations After the EU accession we are moving strongly in the direction of creating a favorable business climate Of course we need working and trustworthy institutions; judiciary infrastructure but I am optimistic that we are getting there macroeconomic stability and low labor cost are advantages that Bulgaria has but certainly should be more actively promoted abroad Is this however enough to attract investments the stability and attraction of the low labor cost location have expired already A competitive business has never been created and successfully maintained on "get-by" compensation This would mean specialists on a low level It is rather the balanced approach and modern reading of a moderate labor cost together with high level technical and management skill that will attract the FDI into Bulgaria Investors have to see a wide horizon in front of them to come and invest in Bulgaria Ideal Standard –Vidima AD has been really successful not only in convincing our business owners to invest in Sevlievo but attracted also nine strategic suppliers for our business to come and invest in manufacturing in Sevlievo no small feat having in mind that we are a small municipality with less than 40,000 people It is an amazing achievement because those nine suppliers from Western Europe are here in Sevlievo solely because of us and rely for their business fortunes on the long-term business health of Ideal Standard International in Sevlievo their businesses have created another 1000 well-paid industrial jobs a modern cluster came into life under the auspices thanks to the good business acumen about the strong positioning of the company in the region There used to be such a government policy about the development of industrial clusters and special zones it needs to be raised to the level of a government priority over the next years The Bulgarian subsidiary of Ideal Standard International manages the company supply of products and marketing activities in Eastern Europe How do you think can Bulgaria beat its neighbors in the race for investors We can accomplish that by excelling at the best business practices the cost and the long-term outlook for prospective investors We have to apply in real life the policy towards the attraction of FDI as the saying goes "Don't try to beat your brother We have to utilize our geographical location our skills and experience to offer a viable alternative to other locations and countries A modern strategic management approach is not about "beating" the competition but rather about outperforming it in the long run Strategic investors do have a "sixth sense" for which company can provide the best conditions We just have to learn to live up to their expectations What is the main advantage of Bulgaria as an investment destination We tend to rather denigrate our excellent specialists out of a historically ingrained inferiority complex and this is big mistake We are not inferior to our Western counterparts; on the contrary It's about time to teach ourselves the self-confidence We need to find also the right management to channel their energies in the right direction It is about time that the Bulgarian business steps forward and creates a national investment policy which will then become an integral part of the global investment policy for our country Why is Bulgaria outside the map of major international industrial investors Many analysts have tried to answer this question It is the predicament of all Central and Eastern European countries that they have been caught up in the quagmire of the disastrous demographics paired with a grave recession environment following two decades of an undeniably booming economy we are treading in the footsteps of the economies of the USA and Western Europe in Bulgaria we are witnessing the lingering impact of the unaccomplished transition the political clashes and the delay of the harmonization of some internal processes with the processes of the West European countries The dynamics of the 21st century is a shift towards Asia where the median age is in some cases 1/3 of the median age in Europe I would venture an exemplary and optimistic story regarding the chances of Bulgaria In February "The Great Wall Corporation" will launch mass production in Lovech If this automotive factory turns out to be success it would create a precedent for Chinese businesses to invest in a country like ours The Chinese are sitting on many trillion dollars of cash and looking for ways to quickly invest it Capital flows are going to flow in different directions in the future We have to shed our prejudices and join forces with the winners of the global economy the intellectual fortitude to pull it through As an investment destination Sevlievo managed to achieve what Bulgaria has always aspired to – a small but attractive place By inspiring the necessary confidence and by offering long-term strategic advantages to prospective investors We need a maximum transparency and integrity on the part of the people who will be dealing with the investments; the creation of European standards about labor and environmental conditions; the creation of a modern European development strategy; the training of a management pool of a European level We need a policy of participation of the investors in the municipal and regional developments We must also involve the business partners of our prospective investors in the process that's why I see the necessity for such a policy research the market and its long term outlook; invest in technical and science skills We must create a base for a diversified economy and become part of a world-wide industrial base topped by a knowledge-based economy Interview with the chief executive officer of Solvay Sodi Spiros Nomikos As part of its "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg have asked representatives of leading human resource consultancies in Bulgaria how the Bulgarian labor market influences the country's attractivenes Executive Director of the InvestBulgaria Agency for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg An exclusive interview with Bulgaria's Minister of Economy and Tourism Traicho Traikov for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg focus on Bulgaria - provided by UniCredit Bulbank for the Investors of the Decade Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg for the Investors of the Decade Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg Exclusive interiview with Solvay Sodi CEO Eric Vander Vorst for the "Investors of the Decade" Business Survey of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) and Novinite.bg Executive Director of Kraft Foods Bulgaria They carry their homes on their backs but they do have a home from home – a sun-drenched meadow two adventure-seekers and their dreams carried on the wings of their enterprising spirit Four years ago young dancers Plamen Penchev and Paulina Manuilova took up a daring challenge – to start a snail farm Just like that – with no skills or knowledge They bought a large tract of land near Sevlievo with the help of family and friends we didn’t even know where its boundaries lay,” says Plamen Penchev “Little by little we started fencing it in Plamen and Paulina went to the snail nursery and came home with 600,000 baby snails With much care and attention to detail they put up wooden grating to protect them from the scorching sun Soon their beginners’ luck kicked in and the farmers found their first buyer – in France and there started selling their toddler-snails They are all of the Helix Aspersa Maxima species and in just a few months they grew big enough to be used as food “They have a specific flavor,” says the young farmer and adds that he prefers them cooked Burgundy style “Snails are fragile and if they are cooked properly they are a real delicacy But people are prejudiced and that is why they avoid this kind of food Spain it is considered a veritable treat Unfortunately here in Bulgaria we have not cultivated that kind of palate Maybe our grandparents knew how to cook snails but I don’t think that is true of the younger generation.” Plamen Penchev exports his snails to a number of European countries In his snail farm he applies what is known as the French technology – in springtime he buys newly hatched snails and at the beginning of autumn he sells them to avoid the winter cold that can kill them But it is his dream to put in place a closed cycle of production which would mean higher profits “Otherwise there is a huge amount of work but little money,” he says and adds that many people in his place would have given up long ago they should first find a market for them how to bring down mortality as well as expenses and at the same time set down a clear production strategy etc.” even snails find a way to the human heart Plamen Penchev admits he is fond of his little creatures because they are “calm he too is learning and has intriguing stories to tell with their 24,000 teeth are able to digest all kinds of food indulging in their passion for thirteen hours at a time “I sell live snails and I try not to think about that,” says the farmer philosophically which made the region one of the hardest hit by the severe cold spell in Eastern Europe 16 towns in Bulgaria recorded their coldest temperature since records started 100 years ago the national weather service reported a low of minus 29 degrees Fourteen more towns and cities recorded record lows on Wednesday At most locations temperatures were below 20 are under code orange over extremely low temperatures the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) announced Cold weather and heavy snow are believed to have caused the death of at least five Bulgarians in the country's mountainous region since the beginning of the new year Highs will remain unusually low throughout the week Eastern Europe shivered this week in the coldest conditions seen this winter with below-freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall leading to deaths frostbite and widespread travel disruption Ukraine and Poland are among the worst affected countries with lows in Kiev and Warsaw of -17 and -16 degrees Celsius (1 and 3 degrees Fahrenheit) respectively far lower than the average for this time of year the weather will be mostly sunny—around and after midday cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds will develop Bulgaria and Greece have signed a draft Joint Declaration regarding the use of the Arda River waters over the next five years following a decision by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers The weather across Bulgaria on May 1 will begin with sunshine in the morning followed by an increase in cloud cover during the afternoon The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria has repealed legislative changes made two years ago that permitted the installation of photovoltaic (solar) systems on arable agricultural land Bulgaria will experience mostly sunny weather accompanied by a light to moderate east-northeast wind The Anti-Corruption Fund Foundation (ACF) has announced the winners of its 2023 Red Line Journalism Against Corruption Award selected from a record number of 56 nominations were celebrated at an awards ceremony at Sofia’s Odeon Cinema Абонирайте се за бюлетина на АКФ, за да научавате за най-новите ни разследвания и анализи: С натискане на бутона потвърждавате, че сте запознати с Политиката ни за поверителност Besides presenting extremely concerning cases of the bereaved relatives of deceased people being pressured to offer bribes the report raises questions about undue influence by one of the largest funeral undertaking services in the Bulgarian capital Bogdana Lazarova, Bulgarian National Television, received the award in the category Rule of Law. Her investigation titled “Why More Than 200,000 Bulgarians Lack Identification Documents” shows the predicaments of people without identity documents who cannot work or vote and lack access to healthcare and education services Their children are also affected as they cannot be issued birth certificates and personal identity documents While the issue hampers access to social services and contributes to more poverty and inequality It means that more than three per cent of Bulgaria’s population cannot be identified and traced by law enforcement authorities the appointment was suspected to be politically motivated and staff were subjected to systemic pressure Elitsa Simeonova from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty was the winner in the category Young Journalist Her report told the story of the town of Gulubovo where there is a longstanding problem with air pollution caused by thermal power plant Brikel which public institutions appear to be unable to sanction Elitsa Simeonova from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty The winners were selected by a jury which included: Dr a journalist with the newspaper Sega and faculty member of Sofia University St Member of the Board of ACF; Tatiana Vaksberg Editor-in-Chief of the Sofia bureau of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (she refrained from voting in categories that featured her colleagues among the nominees); Sofia Razboinikova Member of the Board of the Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights Foundation; and Vesela Todorova which took place a day before the International Anti-Corruption Day Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Sofia who presented Elitsa Simeonova with an additional award The damaging influence of corruption cannot be stopped overnight,” said Elizabeth Chapman we must recognise the relationship between anti-corruption efforts and a free and the rule of law is a society that thrives.” this year – like the previous ones – many of the nominated journalists had been subjected to pressure because of their investigations Bulgarian investigative journalists continue to work in a difficult – and sometimes even dangerous – environment,” he said is obliged to defend journalists in their work because by doing so they are also defending the right of each citizen to be informed and to participate constructively in all aspects of public life.” The Red Line Journalism Against Corruption Awards are organized with the support of the America for Bulgarian Foundation A recording of the awards ceremony can be watched here. Поради технически затруднения в момента криптираната форма за подаване на сигнали не е достъпна Можете да пратите сигнала си на acf@acf.bg Ви съветваме да използвате Tor Browser и Proton mail “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 The Bulgarian Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC) allowed the German chain Villeroy & Boch to buy the Belgian Ideal Standard Group The deal also includes one of the largest factories in Bulgaria - the one for sanitary ware in Sevlievo The production there is one of the largest under the umbrella of the Belgian company worldwide The acquisition was officially announced in the fall of 2023 but it had been talked about even before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic The deal has also been approved by regulators in Austria the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago The German manufacturer currently has 12 bases in Europe and one in Asia The company is a manufacturer of sanitary ceramics under the brands Alföldi Ideal Standard Group operates eight manufacturing facilities that produce products for all major bathroom ceramic categories and markets them under a series of Ideal Standard Villeroy & Boch's aim with the transaction is to improve its product range and strengthen its sales strategies by including an additional assortment in its portfolio The deal will enable the company to serve more clients particularly in relation to projects in the public and healthcare sectors this will strengthen its regional presence where it is currently limited Villeroy & Boch will compete more effectively with the large and established manufacturers of bathroom ware as well as with new competitors who import such products from China Ideal Standard Group has a factory for sanitary fittings and ceramics in Sevlievo The subsidiary also functions as a main supply center for markets in Eastern Europe production is marketed mainly under the brands Vidima and Ideal Standard The last published report of the Bulgarian subsidiary in the Commercial Registry of the country dates to 2021 and shows that there were just over 3,000 people employed in it The generated turnover was nearly 250 million euros the company also manufactures products in Egypt The group also operates innovation centers in the UK and Germany as well as a global design center in Milan there are no fears that the deal would have a significant impact on the competition balance in the market CPC also indicates that the two companies involved are not direct competitors Villeroy & Boch operates in the upper price range of bathroom ware in Bulgaria while Ideal Standard offers a wider portfolio for the same market The distribution channels of the two companies are also different mainly due to the price difference of the products from their portfolio The Commission on the Protection of Competition also points out that the Bulgarian sanitary ware market is characterized by a wide presence of large international manufacturers as well as local ones Bulgaria celebrates the country's National Holiday March 3rd – the 132nd anniversary of its Liberation from five centuries of Ottoman dominance The Team of Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) congratulates its Bulgarian readers on the occasion of Liberation Day including hoisting of the national flag in front of the Unknown Soldier Monument in Sofia was held at 11 am European Parliament Preisdent Jerzy Buzek is on a special visit to Bulgaria for the celebrations of its Liberation Day The 132nd anniversary of Bulgaria's Liberation will be honored with ceremonies particularly solemn in towns and cities boasting victorious battles of Russian and Bulgarian soldiers in the 1877-1878 Liberation War This March 3rd such ceremonies will be held in Pleven March 3 was honored for the first time in 1880 in the occasion of the Enthronement of Russian Emperor Alexander the Second March 3 has become Bulgaria's Day of Liberation but it was not declared National Holiday until 1978 March 3 was included in the list of Bulgaria's official holiday Russia was moved to declare war on the Ottoman Turkish Empire after the atrocities against the Bulgarian population during the April Uprising of 1876 which were made known to the world by US journalist working for the British press Finnish, and Romanian soldiers were killed and about 140 000 were wounded on the Russian side of the war. About 30 000 Bulgarians were slaughtered by Ottoman troops and irregulars during the fighting the Peace Treaty of San Stefano (a tiny town near Istanbul) between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was signed bringing Bulgaria back to the political map The Peace Treaty of San Stefano marks the revival of the Bulgarian State dominated by the Ottoman rule since the end of 14th century the San Stefano Treaty was not final and was revised at the Congress of Berlin which took place a couple of months later in 1878 It ended with the redistribution back to the Ottoman Empire of certain Bulgarian territories that the previous treaty had given to the Principality of Bulgaria 1878) was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans undertook to balance the distinct interests of Britain The congress was aimed at the revision of the Treaty of San Stefano and at keeping Constantinople in Ottoman hands Bulgaria marks 147 years since its reappearance on the European map President Rumen Radev stated last night in his address on the country’s national holiday a national holiday that commemorates the country's liberation from Ottoman rule Today marks the 147th anniversary of Sofia's liberation from Ottoman rule the Sofia Municipality announced plans to lay wreaths Bulgaria took a momentous step in its history by declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire Bulgaria commemorated its 146th anniversary of liberation from Ottoman rule with grand celebrations spanning across the nation on the revered national holiday of March 3 thousands of Bulgarians congregated at the historic Shipka peak and its surroundings to commemorate the sacrifices made for the country's freedom 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 have declared a flu epidemic from Monday due to an increase in morbidity following the earlier declaration in the Smolyan region 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 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 The German retail stores chain Plus plans to open 25 supermarkets a year in Bulgaria. The chain will open six discount stores in Bulgaria on October 8, the company has announced. The new stores will be in Pernik, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Harmanli, Silistra, and two in Sevlievo. Another 20 outlets will be launched by the end 2009. The company has already bought more than 70 plots for construction. “There is potential for the chain to expand to 130 stores, so our plans are to open 25 new shops every year”, Plus Bulgaria managing director, Rainer Wendelberger, said. Plus is the first discount stores chain operating on the Bulgarian market. Its assortment will consist of around 3 000 products, 40% of which will be produced by the chain's own brands. Plus will work with over 180 Bulgarian supplier. All of them have been certified according to the European Union standards. We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you! On February 27, a new boycott is set to take place in Bulgaria, extending its focus beyond just retail chains to include banks A new boycott of food retail chains in Bulgaria has been announced for February 27 Large-scale inspections at food retail establishments continue across Bulgaria A new boycott of retail chains is taking place in Bulgaria today, coinciding with similar mass protests planned in Croatia and Greece on February 20 The impact of the boycott against large retail chains in Bulgaria due to high food prices is expected to become clearer with official data from the National Revenue Agency GERB has expressed its opposition to implementing a price cap on retail sales in supermarket chain Starting in July, all retailers in Bulgaria will be required to display prices in both leva and euros Balkan Holidays UK, a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria, has halted all its operations effective April 24, 2025 Wage growth in Bulgaria is projected at 9.3 percent for 2025, driven by stronger economic activity, 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, citing a broader global economic slowdown Bulgaria is approaching the final stages of preparation for transitioning card payments from the national currency, the lev, to the euro Minister of Economy and Industry Petar Dilov held a meeting with Susan Falatko, the Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Bulgaria Local artisans, producers of traditional products, and artists will take part in various events in October in the municipalities bordering the Central Balkan National Park - Troyan, Sevlievo, Pavel Banya, Karlovo, and Anton. Their territories are located in the transition zone of the Central Balkan Biosphere Park and take 80.56% of its total area. Participants in the partner network are creators, craftsmen, entrepreneurs, producers, providers of tourist services, workers in cultural institutions - all are registered and implement their activities on the territory of the Biosphere Park in the lands of the municipalities of the transition zone. The dates for the events are: 1st October in Sevlievo on the central town square; 7th October in Troyan in front of the Tourist Information Centre; 20th October in the Anton village on the central square; and 21st October in Karlovo in front of primary school “Vasil Levski – 1861”. The events are organized by the Directorate of the National Park “Central Balkan”, jointly with the municipalities. The aim is to demonstrate and encourage the implementation of sustainable practices ensuring the economic development of the municipalities bordering the park while protecting nature, to support cultural initiatives, regional tourism products and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, as well as to improve the understanding for the importance of ecosystem services in the region. though they are more rocky and don’t have as many trees to display those glorious autumnal shades Autumn in the Rhodope Mountains | © Ivailo Djilianov / Flickr you can come across wild cyclamen blooming if you go for a stroll in the forest (usually under 600 metres (2,000 feet) altitude) Look carefully in the shady areas for the light violet blossoms of the flower Wild cyclamen | © Orchi / WikiCommons The Black Sea Coast, for fewer crowds The Bulgarian Black Sea coast tends to get overcrowded in summer but plan a seaside escape in mid-September and you can enjoy the beautiful beaches without the throngs and the fuss and the water will be a few degrees colder but it’s a perfect time for families to enjoy the sights with fewer people around Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Sofia at night | © Lorenzo Blangiardi / Flickr Bulgaria’s wineries, for vineyard and wine tasting tours Grapes are harvested in September (until October in some areas), making this the perfect time to visit a winery and join a vineyard and wine tasting tour. Be sure to try Bulgarian grape varietals as well as taste different wines and learn how to distinguish the difference between scents and flavors She is the author of several travel books in Bulgarian and English including "50 Secret Places to Discover in Bulgaria' and "203 Travel Challenges Guides & Tips Beat the Crowds with these Alternative Summer Destinations See & Do Lesser-Known Summer Destinations to Visit in Europe Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December Guides & Tips A Guide to Bulgaria’s Rose Valley See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July Guides & Tips This Is Europe's Ultimate Road Trip See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November Guides & Tips The Best Places to Travel in August US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd