No animals from the sheep farm in Velingrad, where an outbreak of goat plague has been detected according to a joint statement from the Agriculture and Food Ministry and the Interior Ministry The farm remains under quarantine and temporary measures have been put in place to restrict the movement of small ruminants to and from Pazardzhik Region people from all over Bulgaria have been protesting outside the sheep farm expressing their support for the farm’s owner Some of the protesters said they were willing to stay as long as necessary to save the animals.  we die too," he said and appealed to the caretaker Agriculture and Food Minister for help Iliev said the sheep were not sick with plague There has been no tension between law enforcement and the protesting livestock farmers in Velingrad Police have been on site for six days to maintain public order a spokesperson for the Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry in Pazardzhik told BTA earlier on Thursday Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? A special train with vintage passenger cars will travel every Saturday and Sunday in the month of July on a route from Septemvri station to Velingrad and Tsvetino stations The tourist train will leave for the first time on July 6th and will travel every Saturday and Sunday in connection with the 51st Velingrad Culture Festival The composition is extremely attractive for narrow-gauge enthusiasts as it will run in a composition of two retro cars The carriages in this train are a kind of palette from different periods of the narrow-gauge railway's existence One vintage car is from the first delivered for the narrow gauge in 1926 the standard seating car is from the first half of the 1970s and the buffet car is from 3 years ago which passengers will be able to view and experience in motion how it has been traveled by train from the inception of the line to the present day The tourist train will depart from Septemvri station at 09:30 a.m. and continue to one of the most colorful stations on the route In the opposite direction the train will depart from Tsvetino at 12:25 p.m After a stop for a short walk in the resort town the train will depart Velingrad at 2:25 p.m. with the return journey scheduled stop at Cepina station to see the Narrow Gauge House-Museum The composition will arrive at Septemvri station at 4:20 p.m During the movement of the train with retro wagons the suburban passenger train will not travel at 10:50 a.m from Septemvri to Avramovo and at 2:05 p.m Tickets can be purchased online at the following link https://bileti.bdz.bg/ and from ticket offices and railway desks in all stations in the country We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria a private railway company affiliated with the bus carrier "Union Ivkoni" has officially received a license to operate rail passenger transport in Bulgaria A locomotive caught fire this morning at a railway crossing near the Bulgarian village of Elenino a locomotive collided with passenger train No located on the Burgas - Karnobat - Varna route Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ - Passenger Transport) has announced the restoration of night train services on the Sofia-Karlovo-Varna route starting in April Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov has officially accepted the resignations of Engineer Stoyan Stoyanov head of the National Company "Railway Infrastructure" (NRIC) A 27-year-old man has been charged with arson in connection with a fire on a Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) train carriage at Sofia Central Station that claimed the lives of four individuals and left two others seriously injured 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 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 This outbreak is the first one in six years The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA )has identified an outbreak of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in the town of Velingrad (Southern Bulgaria) Head of the BFSA Animal Health Department on November 26 He confirmed that there is no doubt regarding the presence of the disease The outbreak was detected in three herds consisting of 1,760 animals that are kept together These samples were analyzed at Bulgaria's National Reference Laboratory using methods and standards approved by both the European Reference Laboratory and the World Organisation for Animal Health "The outbreak detected in Velingrad is the first in six years and at the moment we do not suspect the presence of the disease elsewhere," said Dr Daniel Denev He explained that the disease had been concealed for a long period revealing that after suspicions of the disease arose 40 pairs of blood and saliva samples were taken on November 20 50 additional blood and saliva samples were collected 20 serological samples were taken to detect antibodies “It is impossible for antibodies to be present in blood samples if the infection is recent as the development of antibodies takes a minimum of 14 days Enhanced clinical examinations have been mandated throughout the entire Pazardzhik region to verify whether the disease has spread to other livestock facilities We have information on the deaths of four sheep and 20 lambs in the affected herd we do not have ear tags for the deceased animals to determine which of the five facilities they belong to,” Dr He warned that the economic losses for the country will be severe if the owners of the five affected livestock facilities do not cooperate with the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) Denev also indicated that the European Union may impose restrictions on Bulgaria including a ban on the trade of small ruminants and their products He reminded that similar restrictions were previously imposed on Romania and Greece urged livestock farmers not to be misled into purchasing animals at dumping prices from neighbouring countries with known PPR outbreaks He emphasized that farmers are responsible for their animals and must take ownership of this responsibility Associate Professor Kostov further noted that the National Reference Laboratory has been audited twice by the EU and has a 100% success rate Head of the Exotic and Dangerous Infections Laboratory explained that the samples were initially tested for two diseases and Associate Professor Ivanova stressed that there is no reason to doubt the findings She highlighted that the laboratory participates in blind testing twice a year she confirmed that the laboratory tests are being prepared for submission to Montpellier not for confirmation but for further investigation to determine the origin of the infected animals reported that the Agency has filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's office regarding the illegal import of animals and the concealment of information about the disease at the Velingrad facilities Spa Investment Opportunity in Velingrad Bulgaria Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations “Protests in front of the minister’s home will not solve things.” either observed and verified directly by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Sheep plague has been detected in three flocks of 1,760 animals kept together in five livestock facilities [Lars Penning/picture alliance via Getty Images] Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This is disastrous for a country," said former Minister of Agriculture Kiril Vatev to BNR regarding the problem of sheep plague and the subsequent protests by farmers "Each country in the EU has a reference laboratory All these national reference laboratories have an annual cross-test which is a comparison with the European reference laboratory which is in Montpellier The Bulgarian reference laboratory has one of the highest ratings – 100 points given to both our laboratory and the one in Montpellier then the results are compared to see if there is a difference Vatev reminded that the disease first appeared in Romania and Greece "Over 300 thousand were euthanized in Romania sheep infected with plague of small ruminants It is not true that we have to wait for 50-60 animals to die a day in order to understand that we have plague" he categorically stated in an interview for the show "Sunday 150" And he added that from a conversation with veterinarians he found out that a very high level of antibodies was also detected this means that the infection is more than 14 days old "If it is true that a month ago there were dead animals – I am not saying this which are covered – things are getting worrisome" "We can't blame someone else for everything believes the former Minister of Agriculture "I was personally most concerned about the crowding of people on this farm OK – we don't believe there is an infection and farmers also went there – what happens if there is an infection – well the veterinarians and the laboratory cannot be blamed "Unproductive practices cannot be tolerated for the sake of getting money without a product in return This is our biggest problem in the agrarian sector" said the former minister and asked where are the institutions that should regulate and control this process there is a great injustice that reflects on everyone "This means that there are also local politicians who allow it from there they are tolerated and from there everything is distorted This is where all the mistrust in all our institutions comes from The fact that we are having such a conversation is humiliating," he commented He thinks that the last people who should be blamed are the minister and the director of the BBAH And yet he expressed the opinion that the Minister of Agriculture has no useful course of action and whatever he does "We have a lack of discipline and awareness of the risk of transferring the infection to the farm" Regarding yesterday's protest and the inclusion of some parties in it Kiril Vatev said that this is shameful for these parties More news from Bulgaria 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 best hotel in Bulgaria for 2024 is the five-star Voya Beach Resort in Sveti Vlas closely followed by Kashmir Wellness and Spa (Velingrad) and the Grand Hotel Millennium Sofia For the full ranking, visit: https://besthotels.bg/ranking the best hotels in Bulgaria were also ranked by type and category The hospitality industry is among the few where the quality of service can be precisely measured Guest reviews and ratings on platforms such as Booking.com and Google serve as objective criteria for evaluation The TOP 100 Best Hotels in Bulgaria ranking for 2024 covers the period from December 2023 to December 2024 Hotels were evaluated using algorithms based on user reviews and ratings analyzing over 1,000 hotels that meet the criteria of having 20 or more rooms (excluding apartments and guesthouses) and being classified as three To ensure transparency, the calculation of the HotScore index and the inclusion of hotels in the TOP 100 Best Hotels ranking for 2024 are entirely free. Guests can freely access the full rankings and choose which of the best hotels in Bulgaria to visit at BestHotels.bg The project for calculating and ongoing monitoring of the ‘TOP 100 Best Hotels in Bulgaria’ rating of hotels in Bulgaria was approved and co-financed by the European Union under the Operational Program Enterprise and Innovation for Competitiveness (OP EIC) Many of the hotels featured in the TOP 100 Best Hotels in Bulgaria 2024 received honorary certificates during a special ceremony held on January 23 at the Central Military Club in Sofia Certificates were presented by the Minister of Tourism Members of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Executives (BAHE) were also present in the ceremony The time has come for warm spa treatments and autumn mountain walks we have taken you on a virtual tour of our beloved Velingrad and today we’ll also reveal to you where to eat deliciously there The truth is that most often hotel guests prefer to use packages with at least breakfast and dinner most of the dining options are concentrated in the places of accommodation but outside of them there are several establishments that are worthwhile and recommended by locals and regular guests of the town: The founders are Tom and Nezi Pachalovi and their descendants who turned their family restaurant into one of the best in Bulgaria The cuisine here is a real challenge to your culinary fantasies – no pretentiousness There are both authentic dishes from the Rhodopes and plenty of European cuisine so we can safely say that there is something for everyone In the restaurant you can enjoy great food in a cozy atmosphere and drink a glass of wine served with a smile Their team works with enthusiasm and dedication to create a little bit of culinary magic every day There are always delicious lunch offers as well Paradise Restaurant also has a master pastry chef who prepares irresistible sweet delights every day for all kinds of occasions So everyone can be tempted by both the freshly prepared food and the one-of-a-kind desserts Unique cakes made for special events are their trademark Delicious and served with attention to detail - that's the best way to describe the food in Skabrin and we recommend not to miss their homemade ice cream Their temptations are from the traditional Rhodope and Bulgarian cuisine so here everyone will find something from their favorite dishes from childhood Try the kapama and we're sure you'll thank us All that remains is to mark one of the numerous routes in the surrounding area and combine good eating with a little movement and breathtaking autumn views 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 The tension related to the unresolved issue of the plague Livestock breeders did not allow BABH inspectors to disinfect The European Commission insists that Bulgaria destroy the source of the infection „Postponing the decision with plague-infected animals can lead to very serious consequences both for Bulgaria and for the livestock sector The European Commission draws attention to the fact that Bulgaria must comply with the European regulations as a member state as they are above the national legislation commented in the interview in the NOVA News Identification and Humane Treatment of Animals" Directorate; to the BABH our country must take action to destroy the infected herds the farm must be quarantined and monitored until the results are released immediate steps should be taken to eliminate this problem," explained Dr „A very serious risk is being created for an entire industry The status of these animals must be monitored every day to monitor the dynamics of the episodic process but the owners of the herds do not allow us near the animals The municipality of Velingrad and NGOs in the town have spoken out against a new investment plan to extract tungsten from the Gruncharitsa deposit near the town mass protests will be organized in Velingrad The dissatisfaction of the residents of Velingrad is caused by the fact that in the locality of Gruncharitsa is located it the town's water supply zone the mining activity will negatively affect many protected animal species and will also compromise the tourist activity in the town The intention of a Plovdiv-based company to mine tungsten dates back years but due to protests the procedure was stopped the company renewed its intention a few days ago 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. The Bulgarian student teams that participated in the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences EOES 2025 in Zagreb have returned with. The Museum of History in Velingrad owns the biggest collections and exposition of dyed eggs in Bulgaria The credit for this goes most of all to Maria Malcheva who helped seek out and preserve models from 70 and more years ago She graduated from the local secondary school and then went on to study at the Art Academy in Sofia she met prominent Bulgarian artists and intellectuals and was involved in the founding of the Society of New Artists leaving behind an incredible array of drawings of painted eggs the dark times when the communist regime did not tolerate any religious celebrations Maria Malcheva started visiting with old women in Velingrad and the surrounding area in search of Easter egg patterns “What she did is no precedent in the history of Bulgarian ethnography Drawings such as these have been preserved going back to the turn of the 20th century What Maria Malcheva did was a very accurate replica of the patterns used at the time It was very difficult in those times to choose a practice even if it was so close to folklore tradition Maria Malcheva made it a point to preserve the models used in Kamenitsa Ludzhene and Rakitovo,” says Georgi Kumanov chief curator of the Museum of History in Velingrad There are 58 display boards with 107 drawings of dyed eggs by the talented artist at the Velingrad History Museum More than 200 exquisite patterns are drawn in astonishing detail the dyed eggs of Velingrad are red with white ornamentation painted all over using a special pen and wax “The sign of the cross was painted onto the egg and plant ornaments and rosettes around it,” Georgi Kumanov explains with a multitude of other ornaments added to them There are some very intriguing elements – like the stylized plant ornaments Maria Malcheva’s drawings also feature some zoomorphic figures such as butterflies as the symbol of the human spirit The Museum is in possession of one more very valuable collection donated by Maria Malcheva – 65 patterns of wedding kerchiefs and 25 patterns of colourful socks where the artist has noted the year in which she drew them with the kerchiefs she has noted the year of the models themselves – 1830 1850 – so we know the models are very old and that gives us an idea of what traditional kerchiefs were like Some of them are really beautiful and are quite old,” Georgi Kumanov says The tradition of Velingrad’s painted eggs is alive to this day and Maria Malcheva’s drawings draw on the traditions that have come down to us from times long gone by Some of the ancient ornaments are applied to this day others are born of the imagination of the skilled egg painters of Velingrad the Czech artist and folklorist Ludvík Kuba travelled to Bulgaria with one goal in mind: to explore the country's rich song heritage The melodies he collected were published in a separate volume of his Slavic Song. the feasts of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are related holidays From Lazarus Saturday  (Lazarovden in Bulgaria) which is performed on the morning of Palm Sunday In April and May the visitors of the Strelcha Historical Museum will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the traditions connected with the Easter holiday cycle through the exhibition A Fine Easter Velingrad spa resort - health through water treatment 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. It is not known when dyeing and decorating eggs started There are historical data that people decorated eggs and gave them as gifts in ancient Egypt The rituals related to eggs symbolise fertility and purification Giving red-painted eggs for Easter is one of the oldest customs which was embraced by all Christians worldwide The color is a symbol of both the blood of Christ and of God's love for people Along with the ritual of egg dyeing for Easter a local tradition has developed in Bulgaria and strengthened over the years – using hot wax to decorate the eggs The skilful hands of masters transform ordinary eggs into real works of art Seeing the creation of such a special egg is something one does not often see Masters of the technique from the mountainous town of Velingrad are well respected Here preparation for Easter starts at some 40 days before Easter Wax decorations are drawn on the white eggs the The true beauty of the eggs is seen on Holy Saturday when the eggs are immersed in the dye and one can see the exquisite decorations as the dye does not stick to wax "This technique has been used since ancient times in Velingrad Such eggs were also created in the second half of the 20th century when because of ideological reasons Christian rituals were denied," Tsvetanka Grozeva She has many young followers in the town: "During Easter in Velingrad everyone has the hope for the coming of better days The quest for beauty and harmony of the people is expressed through drawing on the egg shell Ornamentation consists mostly of flowers and plants symbolising fertility and man's relationship with nature Everyone is free to add their own styles on an egg This way each egg is different and brings the spirit and mood of the person who painted it Early eggs were written on with beeswax - pure product which we take from nature The figures are drawn with a wooden pen heated over a candle New technologies are also used these days – such as electric drawing instruments The dye in the past was obtained by natural materials today we use paints that are sold in stores." Tsvetanka says she learned to draw on eggs as a child It was at that time when the Easter spirit became part of me and to this day I continue to draw on eggs "Every year an Easter workshop is organised in the Vasil Levski High School in the town I see that not only girls but also boys are interested in this art The tradition is fascinating and it attracts more and more young people.” The Easter holidays and the egg dyeing traditions in Velingrad attract hundreds of people to the town A day before Easter people gather in the town square where women show wax decorated eggs and decorate a huge 100 –kg wooden egg that remains on a prominent place in the town to remind visitors that locals keep preserving the faith and the memory of their ancestors Velingrad celebrated the 70th anniversary of its announcement as a town and 10 years since its proclamation of the spa capital of the Balkans The celebrations will start with a program for the youngest From 10 am to 11 pm in Nikolay Gyaurov Square in the centre of the city is provided entertainment with a puppet theatre The audience can then enjoy a local amateur concert At 11 am the new symbol of Velingrad will be opened – a statue at the entrance of the town workshops will be open at 12 o’clock and cheerful clowns and children’s animation will entertain the kids a culinary show with Uti Bachvarov will begin in the square At 05.30 pm is the beginning of the concert with local amateurs At 06.15 from the building of the municipality to the square will defile the brass orchestra and the cheerleaders of “Dimitar Mechev” At 7 pm on the square will be presented the official guests and a film about Velingrad will be screened The evening will continue with a show by Dessy Dobreva and part of the dance troupe of Neshka Robeva At 08.10 pm there is a beginning of a carnival and fire show then the eternal Bulgarian hits in the performance of the legends group will sound in the square At 09.20 pm are the start of the laser show and the charity in honour of the celebration From 10.30 pm on the mineral beach in the city everyone wishing to dance will be able to dance with a DJ party and performances by Gerry Nicole the celebration will continue with a solemn liturgy kids will be able to have fun with a show program with Kaka Lara At 12 o’clock the festive program will feature “Dobrudja” ensemble to smell the air of the past times and to feel the legends in the air And I'm lucky to have been born in a country with a glorious past and a lot of stories to tell Bulgaria was founded more than 1,300 years ago and has never changed its name their music and their art have changed over the centuries I invite you to take a walk through the different ages of Bulgaria and to get to know it better The first spa hotel for dogs and cats will open this year in Velingrad the destination hopes to become famous not only as the Balkan spa capital but also as a pet friendly destination premises for rehabilitation and post-hospital care a professional hall for cynological and felinological exhibitions veterinary seminars and conferences will be built and the other two will be with a training track The pets will be pampered with different types and compositions of mineral waters treating musculoskeletal diseases for which Velingrad is famous saltwater procedures suitable for skin diseases are provided Each cat or dog will be accommodated in an apartment with an area of ​​2.5 to 8 square meters which will have its own individual yard for walking as well as a separate air conditioning system so that each animal can enjoy the optimal temperature for his breed owners will be able to see what is happening at the moment with their pet While dog or cat owners enjoy their own vacation in Velingrad fed according to the owner’s preferences walked or pampered with spa treatments for animals Or have exercises with professional trainers to take care not only of his health but also of his good upbringing holiday discount packages will be offered in Velingrad All hotels in the spa capital will now accept pets just the nurseries will be accommodated in their own rooms in the complex that is being built in city The investment in the project is millions of levs and the first pets will be welcomed for spa pampering by the end of the year Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again In every season and every region of this small country One of the most luxurious and preferred hotels in the spa capital of Bakanite Velingrad – Maxi Park Hotel and Spa will open its doors to visitors again on March 18 The 5-star jewel of one of the most popular Bulgarian destinations in the last year already has a new owner – the same who also owns two hotels in Sandanski – the 5-star spa hotel Medite and the apart hotel Botanica As a compliment to their loyal guests until March 18 everyone who booked a stay at the Maxi Hotel will receive a discount on the price it will be 20 percent of the reception price and when booking for the weekend the reduction will be 10 percent of the price A surprise for the guests of the hotel is that one of the two restaurants in it will offer gourmet Rhodope specialties as the menu will be the work of one of the most famous Bulgarian culinary experts and chefs The hotel promises to bet in both restaurants on fresh The whiskey bar will offer a variety of quality drinks including a selection from the Macallan distillery known for its alcoholic beverages always reaching record prices at auctions around the world From dashing down coastlines to traversing mountain passes, our tipsters came up with some spectacular train journeys in our new competition, with a prize of two first-class Interrail passes worth £768 Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips The 5-star Arte Spa and Park Hotel in Velingrad was nominated for the best spa hotel on the  Balkans from the Balkan Hotel and Restaurant Association / BAHA / The nomination was announced by the chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association and honorary chairman of BAHA Blagoy Ragin If the Bulgarian hotel wins the competition it will receive the prize at an official ceremony in 2018 The guests of the Balkan spa capital Velingrad are already convinced that the combination of five-star luxury To make sure you can give yourself a break in the new jewel of the resort – Arte Spa and Park Hotel Even the first steps of the entrance will convince you that the place is neat to every detail and done with a thought for the customers The entire hotel is designed in natural materials The art lovers have another reason to visit the new leader in tourism Every two months the hotel will be shown a new exhibition of a Bulgarian artist fit into the interior of the hotel and turn it into a kind of gallery Tanev exhibition was officially opened in the presence of President of the chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Blagoy Ragin the business family Encho Kossev Maya Tsakova find it on by their senses,” call home team hotel A combination of pure mountain ionized air the healing qualities of the mineral water cure aspiration diseases,smoothes wrinkles and rejuvenates the quality of which constantly looks after the chef and the unique beauty and relaxation treatments at the spa will convince you that Arte hotel and Spa Park is your vacation spot A new piano bar for the music fans opens in Velingrad The perfectly furnished restaurant is located in the famous with its high-quality service Spa Hotel Rich The impressive interior of the Lounge & Piano bar Rich reflects the inimitable character of the hotel which features traditional elegance and modern amenities The piano bar is now a favorite place for entertainment in the spa capital of the Balkans because of its unique design the warm atmosphere and the music stars that have concerts there every weekend The guests of the piano bar are offered a great selection of hookah tastes the pleasant surprises for the guests of Spa Hotel Rich are not over Good food connoisseurs already have one more right choice for every occasion The hotel opened the new Garden of Rich fusion restaurant With its elegant setting, the restaurant perfectly combines historic warmth with modern elements.  Еvery gourmand will be delighted by the rich variety of exquisite dishes prepared with high-quality products and fine wines for a unique culinary experience. More about the novelties at Rich can be found on the spa website at Spa Hotel Rich The fifth anniversary since the town of Velingrad was voted the Spa Capital of the Balkans was marked with various celebrations situated in Rhodope Mountains in Southwestern Bulgaria shone in 2008 when it received the prestigious distinction personally by the President of the International Hotel and Restaurant Association Dr the town of Velingrad went through a historical upsurge and many local hotels with rich clientele became Spa hotels The word spa originates from the Latin phrase sanus per acquam which means health through water treatment springs in abundance in Velingrad and the surrounding area There are over 80 mineral springs in the town considered as one of the biggest natural wealth of Velingrad many open air and indoor pools in the town as well as the only active public baths built back in the 18th century The water is a real blessing for people with The local spa centers count on these effects and offer series of rehabilitation and refreshing treatments the town of Velingrad is not the only Bulgarian spa resort with international fame experts claim that quality of the services offered in Velingrad is higher as compared to those in similar spa centers in Bulgaria and the neighboring countries Let alone the abundance and diversity of the healing waters the healthy mountain climate and perfect hotels in this town Velingrad is the fastest developing spa center in Bulgaria Within several years only Velingrad turned from a quiet countryside town with typical of the socialist period architecture into a wonderful spa resort with many hotels The family hotels resembling houses from the National Revival Period alpine-type huts with ridged roofs and modern glass-coated complexes are part of the rich color of the town the town of Velingrad is covered in greenery and bird singing could be heard everywhere Stanimir Stankov who is the President of the National Association for Spa and Wellness Tourism has more: “The interest towards the town is huge because its hotels provide good conditions This type of tourism including spa treatments is not that cheap and mainly rich people and ones with sound finances can afford it around 15 hotels in Velingrad fall within the top category range but what makes Velingrad different to other spa centers are the innovative spa packages” The hotels in Velingrad are competing to offer all kinds of weight-loss and beauty programs using a wide range of products from the cosmetic industry and the folk medicine Some of these programs are patents of the local spa centers along with the traditional treatment procedures with the popular mineral water one of the local hotels offers a special anti-wrinkle therapy entitled Thracian Gold which uses real golden particles This miraculous herb grows in abundance along the slopes of the Rhodope Mountains near Velingrad Just like in may other spa centers in Bulgaria the spa procedures using oil-yielding rose are widely used and are very popular amongst foreign tourists The new spa hit in Velingrad is the sheep wool and milk treatment Wool is used for rubbing the feet of the tourists and the warm fresh milk-for full body massage you should by all means go to the local mineral pools where you will definitely feel refreshed The mineral water in Velingrad could also heal some of the body pains as well The mineral water in Velingrad is not used for spa and balneology only Hot mineral water is used for heating of some public buildings The hottest mineral spring is in Kamenitsa district with a temperature of 91C local women wash their clothes and rugs with homemade soap and when the season of pickled vegetables comes half of the neighborhood gathers around the spring to can their vegetables in the hot waters of the mineral spring 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 the entire Christian world celebrates the Bright Resurrection of Christ this is the most radiant and joyful day - the Feast of Feasts - which proclaims the victory of life over death With a scent of spring and anticipation of the great Resurrection of Christ Palm Sunday is among the most beloved holidays in Bulgaria people fill the churches and share their joy through prayer at the festive. The day of Saint Theodore known in Bulgarian as Todorovden is a significant Bulgarian holiday which is celebrated on the Saturday after Cheesefare Sunday - this year its date is March 8 Todorovden combines pagan beliefs and Orthodox canon. Bulgaria experienced a remarkable surge in winter tourism from December 1 with a total of 1.8 million tourist check-ins recorded across the country comprising 1.3 million of the total arrivals visitors from neighboring countries and beyond contributed significantly to the influx with Romanian tourists numbering over 62,000 and visitors from Turkiye exceeding 53,000 Great Britain made a substantial contribution with 53,000 visitors exploring Bulgaria's offerings the Municipality of Sofia emerged as the top destination Bulgaria's winter tourism sector is expected to witness a 5% increase in visits compared to the previous winter season with notable growth anticipated from key markets such as Turkiye The Unified Tourist Information System (UTIS) shows that the largest share of tourists fell within the age group of 30 to 44 indicating a broad demographic appeal for Bulgaria's offerings Residents of Sofia who are customers of "Toplofikatsia Sofia" can now benefit from a new mobile application "My Heat," which offers a more accessible and user-friendly way to manage heating-related services chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel Association highlighted a major issue in Bulgaria’s tourism sector: a significant decline in the workforce 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 A group of Bulgarians from the second largest city of Plovdiv insist they have spotted an extra-terrestrial in a mountain area The news was reported by the site Plovdiv24.bg The group went hiking in Yundola and one man was taking pictures with a cell phone When the photographer downloaded the pictures on his computer The red circle on the photograph shows the alleged alien The natural site Yundola is a large meadow between the mountains of Rila and Rhodoppe The name comes from Turkish and means "Wool Market." the director of the Plovdiv Customs Office was arrested earlier today for allegedly facilitating a new smuggling route for cigarettes Parking in central Plovdiv is set to become significantly more expensive Plovdiv will host a historic event at HILLS OF ROCK 2025 where fans will witness the union of legendary rock and metal bands with the new generation of artists shaping the future of the scene Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications announced that a concession procedure for Plovdiv Airport will soon be initiated Three new regions in Bulgaria have declared a flu epidemic following the increased spread of the virus A fire broke out in a room on the third floor of a historic building on Gladston Street in Plovdiv The first edition of L'Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France will be held on July 30 near the town of Velingrad (Southwestern Bulgaria) The event includes two races – a long race (102 km and + 2,500 m of elevation gain) and a short race (57 km and + 1,500 m of elevation gain) Participants will have the opportunity to live an amazing cycling experience amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Rhodopes Cyclists from 17 countries have registered for L'Etape Bulgaria by Tour de France L'Etape Bulgaria is organized under the umbrella of Tour de France The event is organized by the Sports Club "Sport for All - Sofia in Europe" has climbed one place in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings Last week Dimitrov took part in the Masters 1000 tournament in the Spanish capital Madrid Bulgaria’s junior group won all three gold medals at the 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup in Baku (Azerbaijan) Bulgaria won the gold medal in the Senior Group Cross Battles at the 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup in Baku (Azerbaijan) Danaya Atanasova and Viktoria Georgieva performed. Bulgarian spa resorts of Sandanski and Velingrad are expected to be full on Easter (May 2) and St The owners of local hotels and restaurants follow the health regulations related to the coronavirus pandemic and the prices remain unchanged many Bulgarians have chosen Sandanski and Velingrad for the holidays And the so-called post-Covid recovery programs offered in the two resorts are a good opportunity to restart spa tourism in Bulgaria The bed capacity in the hotels and guest houses in Sandanski is approximately 4,000 beds and occupancy is expected to be over 90 percent says Georgi Kunchev – deputy chairman of the association of hoteliers in the Sandanski adding: "We see light at the end of the tunnel and I think things will turn out quite well for Easter." cultural and historical landmarks are also an attraction for tourists Wine tourism in the vicinity of Sandanski has not stopped developing in recent years They produce unique wines and welcome tourists from around the world foreign tourists who visited Sandanski were over 60% and now there are very few guests from abroad Local hoteliers also rely heavily on visitors from Bulgaria’s neighbouring countries restrictions be removed so Greeks and Macedonians can start travelling again We keep in touch with colleagues from the industry in both countries and we are eagerly waiting for things to resume.” All hotels are prepared to welcome guests for the Easter holidays in the other favourite destination for Bulgarian tourists - the Rhodope spa resort Velingrad The spring period is traditionally weaker for the resort town and the occupancy of the accommodation bases is expected to be around 70 percent chairman of the local Association of Hoteliers this spring there are indications to cancel reservations in the town in favour of Greek resorts The Bulgarian government must at all costs open green corridors for travellers from Russia and Romania to compensate for this deficit The Association of Hoteliers believes that Velingrad is the fastest recovering destination They ensure that guests are well cared for in smaller facilities Those working in the industry emphasize the additional attractions and alternative forms of tourism "We already have many beautiful small farms in the villages whose owners are learning how to be attractive and draw the interest of tourists The dams around us are also starting to develop faster as tourist destinations Amidst the pandemic people are already looking for privacy and smaller hotels and guest houses," says Zlatko Zlatanov in conclusion Bulgaria marks Saturday the 30th anniversary since its first ever Winter Olympic medal on the first day after the opening of the XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver Bulgarian skier Ivan Lebanov won a bronze medal in the 30 km event becoming the first Bulgarian to win a winter Olympic medal Lebanov (born 1957) is currently the Mayor of winter resort town of Velingrad in Southern Bulgaria Bulgaria’s only Winter Olympic gold medal was won by Ekaterina Dafovska in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano where she triumphed in the 15 km individual biathlon event During the opening of the XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver Bulgaria’s national flag was carried at the opening by 22-year-old snowboarder Alexandra Jekova who is believed to have the greatest chances of the Bulgarian team to carry a medal Bulgaria’s total number of contestants at the XXI Olympics swelled to 19 after snowboarder Ivan Ranchev also received the opportunity to participate in the games in Vancouver after a reshuffle of the bidders He will be joining the Bulgarians in Vancouver on Saturday A skier suffered serious injuries on the Markudzhik 1 slope in Borovets yesterday and was airlifted A recent survey by digital payments company Visa reveals that most Bulgarians planning a winter vacation prefer to pay digitally at ski resorts A man has died while skiing in the Bansko resort located in the Pirin mountains Albert Popov has achieved a historic milestone in Bulgarian alpine skiing securing his first World Cup victory in the night slalom at the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio Bulgaria's ski resorts are operating at full capacity this winter season thanks to an early snowfall that helped kick off the season one of Bulgaria's most popular ski resorts has been left entirely without electricity as confirmed by a statement on the resort's official Facebook page Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters after securing a straight-sets win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley Olympiacos made a strong start to the Euroleague playoffs with a convincing 84:72 victory over Real Madrid in the first game of their quarterfinal series On the latest episode of WWE Raw in Las Vegas Bulgarian wrestling star Miroslav Barnyashev Bulgaria will once again have a representative in the English Premier League Bulgaria secured second place in the overall medal standings at the European Acrobatics Championship in the age groups Bulgaria's Angel Rusev secured his fifth European weightlifting title Residents of a neighborhood in the southern Bulgarian town of Devin had to stay awake through the night aided by dogs and searchlights to ward off a bear The brown bear was sensed by local dogs Friday evening around the local sheep-sheds so people took measures to prevent it from killing their livestock Bulgarian brown bears usually feast on berries but sometimes they turn carnivorous and can be dangerous for other animals Devin residents had marked the presence of a carnivorous bear near their town with a horse and several sheep having being killed over the summer The town of Devin is located in the southern end of the Bulgarian spacious and sparsely populated Rhodope Mountains where most human-bear encounters in Bulgaria occur What is characteristic of those cases is that in many of them bears have come unexpectedly close to human settlements This has led some to argue that the brown bear has increased its population out of control Others have argued that the government has not done enough ensure a secluded life for bears and in particular has not done much to instruct local residents about how to avoid attracting them to their settlements there were two cases of killer bear attacks on humans and over the years a number of attacks on livestock have been registered The Commission for the Protection of Competition in Bulgaria has issued a fine totaling 1 million leva to two dairy producers for mislabeling cow’s milk cheese as sheep’s milk cheese China has imposed a ban on the import of sheep and other ungulates from several countries The European Commission has emphasized the urgent need for immediate action to eliminate the recent plague outbreak in the Bulgarian town of Velingrad Bulgaria ranks among the top three countries in Europe in terms of financial support for sheep farming yet the sector struggles due to outdated farming practices sending tremors through the region and triggering concerns over potential damage Devin was rattled by a heinous crime that unfolded in the quiet hours of Wednesday night 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 "To the gentlemen of CC-DB Kiril Petkov wrote the women's associations in Velingrad and appeals from all over the country against the attempts of Kiril Petkov Asen Vasilev and so-called "leaders of Change" to impose the thesis that the voters of MRF Novo Nachalo are phantoms   Hundreds of reactions have also appeared on social media  Here are some of the protest declarations and reactions on social media:  Declaration by the Women's Societies of Velingrad Municipality regarding the statement of our Chairman Mr Delyan Peevski and his position! WE FULLY SUPPORT THAT OUR VOTES FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ON 27.10.2024 ARE GENUINE AND GIVEN FROM THE HEART❗️❗️❗️ We will not allow anyone to abuse or label us as phantoms or anything similar  The Women's Societies of "MRF- Novo Nachalo" in Velingrad Municipality over a cup of coffee with positivity and a well-intentioned campaign for the whole month The people trusted us and we received their support  We declare that our voters are people who have given REAL votes Delyan Peevski and his words that the voters of DPS-Novo Nachalo are not second-class citizens!!  #NoMoreManipulation  #SupportPeevski  #OurVoiceIsReal  #WeChoseEachOther  #Don'tReplaceOurVoice #WeAreNotPhantoms   MRF-Novo Nachalo in Blagoevgrad Province: Our voters are real people We will not allow various "yellow pawns" to manipulate public opinion and women's groups of MRF-Novo Nachalo in Blagoevgrad Province have declared categorically that their voters are real people "We have won the trust of citizens with our real promises and commitments to implement a number of policies and infrastructure projects aimed at improving living conditions in cities and villages," the Declaration says. The full text:  We Women's Associations of the MRF- New Beginning in the region of Blagoevgrad as a result of face-to-face meetings with thousands of people and a positive campaign within one month have won the trust and support of over 26,000 voters from the entire region in the parliamentary elections held on October 27 we are ready to come to Sofia for you to see us We have won the trust of citizens with real fulfilled promises and commitments to implement a number of policies and infrastructure projects aimed at improving the living conditions in cities and villages Delyan Peevski and his words that the voters of MRF-New Beginning are not second class citizens they have the right to vote and to be elected We will not allow various "yellow vests" to manipulate public opinion and neglect and ignore the vote of the MRF-New Beginning voters. We will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the thousands of Bulgarian citizens who freely gave their vote to our party because they are convinced and believe that we will continue to pursue a nationally responsible policy at local and national level  The activists of our party express their categorical support for adhering to high political morality by politicians from all parties and coalitions Attempts to ignore and replace the voice of a part of the Bulgarian voters are a sign of political helplessness and lack of political morality  Every accusation of certain "low" actions which allegedly were committed by representatives of MRF- New Beginning ignorance of the voters and sympathizers of MRF- New Beginning strongly oppose the staged attempts at confrontation We call on our members and sympathizers not to succumb to manipulations and to prove once again the height of their political maturity Mayor of Kardzhali:  We are not phantoms  #donotsendusaway  #supportforpeevski  #ourvoiceisreal #wechoseourselves  #donotreplaceourvoice  #donotsendusaway  Support for Delyan Peevski and MRF- New Beginning from the active members of Silistra region. We the supporters and leadership of MRF- New Beginning from the active members of Silistra region firmly stand by our leader Delyan Peevski and support his statement in which he reveals the truth about the events on the political scene and the attempts of certain individuals to manipulate society and voters  The entire election campaign was filled with accusations and attempts of a few politicians to shift the blame for their own mistakes these people continue with their attacks and hysteria as if the loss of trust and 300,000 votes has caused them to lose control Instead of accepting the results and the people's opinion they are trying to remove from the political life those who do not agree with them Delyan Peevski explains that in the past months he has been under constant pressure to join questionable coalitions aiming to remove Boyko Borisov His refusal to participate in such backstage deals is part of the commitment of MRF- New Beginning for transparency and protection of democratic principles He openly states that MRF will not allow these "political caricatures" to steal the country and trample on the voters' votes  Our leader also points out that this group of politicians is seeking control over key positions in the judicial system and the law enforcement structures in order to cover up their actions and go after their opponents The truth about these goals and their actions must come to light and we from DPS - New Beginning will fight for it the people from the Silistra region and all other supporters of MRF- New Beginning We will defend our right to choose and the trust of our 300,000 voters  #nodampreturn  #supportforpeevski #ourvoiceistrue  #wechoseyou  #donotreplaceourvoice  #wearenotghosts    The leadership and supporters of MRF- New Beginning to Kiril Petkov: Have you ever set foot in a remote village Gramatikovo is not just on the map of Bulgaria - there are people living there. We the members and sympathizers of MRF-Novo Nachalo close to 15,600 people who have voted for the party are using the communication format imposed by Kiril Petkov with us - the voters hardworking and honest people in the village of Gramatikovo in terms of their personal preference for the MRF-Novo Nachalo candidate - Kalin Stoyanov whom they have known since childhood and who has always helped them Have your feet ever stepped in the village of Gramatikovo please take the time to use the modern applications and see on the Internet where we are located About usKalinn Stoyanov is flesh and blood positions and inflated texts on social media are we phantoms to the over 200 women from the municipality of Aytos declaring their support for MRF- New Beginning Can you name even one village in the Aytos municipality without consulting Wikipedia Are we alive to you - or only come to life when it's time for elections are we phantoms to the nearly 2,600 people from the municipality of Sungurlare who with our voices supported New Beginning which brought the mayor from MRF- New Beginning Do you know where Sungurlare is and how many unresolved problems were solved just in the past year under his management nearly 4000 individuals from all villages in the municipality of Ruen who despite threats and repression from people like you came out and voted for MRF- New Beginning - we are not ghosts even though during your administration you counted us as dead He is the answer to our support. It is only fair for you to know We may continue asking you questions until tomorrow but we know your time is valuable - you are involved in creating chaos and instability in the country You are busy not recognizing the right to life to expression for those who are different from you We will not allow people with no connection to reality and the problems of the living to govern us any longer the leadership and sympathizers of MRF-Novo Nachalo stand firmly by our leader Delyan Peevski and will defend our right to a New Beginning and a dignified life We stand by him because his actions have proven that in Bulgaria there can be a leader and a party that truly care about the people a leader who makes decisions together with the people #IAmNotaPhantom #RealVoice #WhenTurkishCoffeeDoesntRise #DontStopUs #SupportForPeevski #OurVoiceIsReal #WeMadeOurChoice #DontReplaceOurVoice #WeAreNotPhantoms #KirilPetkov    MRF- New Beginning Sliven  Kiril Petkov These are real Bulgarian citizens who are different from you who have not submitted false declarations and have not violated the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria you cannot silence the voice of the people #IamNotPhantom #RealVoice #WhenTurkishCoffeeDoesNotLaugh #RealVoice #donotsendusaway #supportpeevski #ourvoiceisreal #wechosehimas ourchoice #donotreplaceourvoice  #IamNotPhantom #RealVoice #WhenTurkishCoffeeDoesNotRevolt #RealVoice #donotsendusaway #supportpeevski #ourvoiceisreal#wechosehimas #ourchoice #donotreplaceourvoice   MRF-New Beginning Montana: We exist we know our voters and each and every one of them has believed in us and in the NEW BEGINNING! The entire organization of MRF New Beginning-Montana stands behind the Chairman Delyan Peevski and his words We are not "second class" people and no one has the right to call us that We chose MRF- New Beginning and we stand behind our choice The new beginning is a fact and this clearly scares some "unproven political entities"! We are MRF New Beginning We are part of those close to 300,000 who dared to be TRUE  Declaration on behalf of the members and sympathizers of MRF-New Beginning in the Razgrad region The leadership and activists of MRF-NEW BEGINNING in the Razgrad region stand behind the words of the Chairman of MRF Delyan Peevski and fully support his position against all attempts to manipulate the democratic vote and to discredit our voters but the voice of hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian citizens who made their correct choice - clear  We are ready at any moment to meet with representatives of the cc-db party to personally confirm the support and trust behind MRF-New Beginning #WeAreNotPhantoms #OurVoiceIsTrue Our voice is true and it is the voice of the people who believe in change in an honest fight and in the power of democracy not in attempts to manipulate public opinion #wechoseyou True leaders do not engage in intrigue and do not use underhanded tactics but have the courage to come out and defend the vote of their constituents even when facing resistance. True leaders do not attack and underestimate the will of their people but respect their choice and fight for their well-being #supportforPeevski Ugly manipulations and attempts to belittle the achieved results are signs of weakness and disintegration among those who are unable to accept the success of MRF–NOVO NACHALO These are desperate actions by pseudo-politicians are trying to distort reality and create tension. The elections clearly showed the difference - while MRF-NOVO NACHALO reaffirms itself with consistent policies and real actions our opponents rely on questionable alliances and behind-the-scenes schemes We are here to declare firmly: MRF-NOVO NACHALO will continue to fight with honesty and determination for the interests of the people and for the democratic model in the country we believe in the right to vote for every Bulgarian citizen  We call on everyone - #donotreplacetheirvoice do not create tension with insinuated accusations and unrealistic speculations We will not allow behind-the-scenes forces to trample on the democratic will of the Bulgarian citizens distorting the people's vote and breaking the principles of the political system We insist that the future of Bulgaria be decided with the trust of the voters not through secret agreements and baseless accusations We are here with responsibility towards our voters who with faith and conviction gave their vote to MRF-New Beginning in the elections for the 51st National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and we are ready to protect their voice and their rights with all legal means Our goal is stability and prosperity for our country built with trust and responsibility towards all who support us Position "MRF-New Beginning" - Varna Region We have voted for DPS-New Beginning with nearly 300,000 people We are individuals who have made an informed and free choice because these are our beliefs and our faith in the future of the party and in the name of prosperity for the people #donotletoursvoicebedane #supportforpeevski #ourvoiceistrue #wegotomakeourchoice #dontreplacemoji #wearenotghosts The state of our army and armed forces cannot be subject to political .. В навечерието на Деня на храбростта и празник на Българската армия 6 май се .. MRF - NEW BEGINNING proposes strict requirements and strict control for the use of scooters България и САЩ държат на нещо много важно - технологичната неутралност при производство на електроенергия Битовите потребители остават на регулирана цена Bulgaria is for open dialogue and a stable transatlantic partnership The main topics on the agenda of the meeting will be security and defense but I wouldn't enter a trench with our politicians Chief of the Haskovo Regional Department of the Interior had a "strongly indifferent and quite inadequate behavior" commented the case with Magdalena the expert The aggression of the youth today is more hostile следван от независимия Дан с 1 828 554 гласа и неочаквани реакцииRussia does not have the military and economic capacity to engage in a real war against the Old Continent the instilled fear leads to irrational thinking and unexpected reactions към РусияCritical point for Europe was the decision for full and unconditional .. The hundred days of the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov seem like a real detoxification We have reached a point where parties with single-digit results Television channels have long become brokers of the Distorted Truth не френски пианисти."People from television - the paradise - seem to be .. World renown supermodel Adriana Karembeu nee Sklenarikova had to undergo an emergency dentist appointment during her visit to Bulgaria While on a working lunch at the Bulgarian Velingrad spa resort the supermodel suddenly felt her tooth aches The model was vary grateful and even took a picture with the dentist Adriana Sklenarikova is in Bulgaria to get acquainted with the country's spa business opportunities she was present at the official opening of a new spa center in the northern Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo Her visit to the Balkan country also has to do with the launch of her own cosmetics brand Playing casino games on your phone isn’t just about killing time anymore online casinos continue to attract more and more players due to their convenience Bulgaria has become one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for beauty and wellness tourism Is a THC vape pen better than traditional smoking This blog will discuss each method's pros and cons to help you decide With Its simplicity and ability to bring people together A growing number of people enjoy playing online casino games Bulgaria's Environment Ministry is undertaking a brown bear amidst continuing reports of attacks by bears on livestock in the Southern Rhodope Mountains there were over 50 cases bear attacks on domestic animals in Bulgaria that are defined as attacks; the last lethal brown bear attack on a human in the country was in 2010 According to the Bulgarian Environment Ministry the electric plasters that it has provided to locals recently are already keeping the bears at bay and the number of attacks has decreased twofold year-on-year remain wary of their contact with the bears citing residents of the village of Starnitsa which has seen 7 brown bear attacks on humans in the past 10 months A local 91-year-old woman quoted is saying that bears have killed two of her sheep over the past year in two separate attacks reiterating the complaints of many villagers in the Rhodope Mountains that the state authorities protect the bears but not the humans Starnitsa Mayor Ancho Timarov has joined the locals in their accusations of the central government while telling about seven cases of livestock killed by brown bears in the recent months "Those in power are protecting the bears so much that they have forgotten there are humans living in this part [of the country]," he stated The report further says that nobody of the locals would dare kill a bear even if it is in their own backyard since they would face a BGN 5 000 as well as potential jail sentence Travelers en route to Pamporovo ski resort were in for an unexpected sight as they stumbled upon an unusual duo on the road - a pair of bears An unknown until now species of giant panda inhabited the Balkans six million years ago wildfire in Bulgaria’s Rhodope mountain is growing Mayor of Rodopi Municipality Pavel Mihaylov declared a state of emergency due to the high levels of manganese in the drinking water in the village of Brestovitsa Forest inspectors of the Regional Directorate of Forestry - Pazardzhik found the corpse of a three-year-old bear in the village of Grashevo A small town at the foot of Sredna Gora in Central Bulgaria helps in healing various diseases and offers spa rejuvenating treatment one of Bulgaria’s most famous spa and wellness resorts keeps receiving people who believe that a strong spirit abides in a strong and healthy body The spring carries around the scents of flowers and the summer offers cool shades Hisarya’s greatest treasure is its mineral baths each boasting a unique chemical composition The healing properties of these waters were known by the ancient Romans who being attracted by the region’s abundance established the fortified town of Diocletian the town of Hisaya has preserved the remains of beautiful palaces early-Christian basilicas and administrative buildings Walking around the town one can see the fortified stone-carved and tile-covered wall of the onetime Roman town In the past Hisarya’s baths offered relaxation and health boosting Its visitors underwent rejuvenating and beautifying procedures carried out by druids receive numerous clients from Bulgaria and abroad physiotherapist Yana Hristozova has been working at a local hotel with modern spa and wellness facilities She says that the interest in the spa centre is so big that at the moment the staff can hardly attend to all of their clients Hisarya’s mineral waters are good for kidney diseases and those attacking the gastrointestinal track The town receives most of its guests in the warm months From the beginning of May we start receiving a lot of Israeli tourists as well as treatment with lye and mud from the Dead Sea We have got acupuncture and laserpuncture studios we offer thalassotherapy for losing weight To deal with the crisis last winter local hotel-keepers significantly reduced the prices of accommodation and spa packages in late February some hotels literally burst at the seams with tourists The snowfalls and minus temperatures typical of the season could not put visitors off the outdoor warm swimming pools It is not only the healing properties of Hisarya’s mineral water that make it so unique It also has a relaxing effect on the body and after the first mineral water treatment your skin becomes soft as silk Surely you can trust Hisarya’s physiotherapists and masseurs After a nice treatment you can have a walk around the remains of the former town of Diocletian and drop by local restaurants to taste the region’s delicious dishes you will be fascinated with Hisarya’s green parks filled with the scents of rare tree species The town abounds in mineral springs containing various chemical elements and healing properties Each spring in Hisarya has its own history The legend about it tells of a beautiful maid who was forcibly made to serve in the harem of a local Turkish chieftain One evening he forced the lass to serve his guests naked No sooner had she stood in front of them with a tray than she struck the bey on the head and he dropped dead As a punishment she was thrown at the stake The flames had hardly engulfed her body when two warm tears broke out of her eyes and spurted a healing stream the sculpture of a maid carrying a tray high above her head stands at the centre of Hisarya Hisarya is also compelling for its old houses from 20 century when the mineral baths tourism in the region flourished immensely you can see numerous luxury and spa hotels that stand out against the backdrop of the tumbledown mineral baths facilities left from Socialism Today Hisarya attracts the lovers of peace and healthy retreat and is soon about to upstage the famous town of Velingrad in the Rhodopes which has been proclaimed a spa capital of the Balkans English version: Vyara Popova Photos: Veneta Nikolova