Bulgaria
AI and cybersecurity to drive CEE tech sector
PwC and CEE Digital Coalition believe the Central and Eastern Europe region has the potential to create the EU’s Silicon Valley.
COMMENT: The Three Seas Initiative's digital imperative
While digital infrastructure in the region is growing, support infrastructure designed to handle the growth in demand is what requires investment.
IEA: Methane emissions at an all-time high need to be reduced by 75% by 2030 at a cost of $170bn
Methane emissions are 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. Rather than falling, they are currently at an all-time high and rising. The IEA says they need to fall by 75% by 2030 if the Paris Accord targets are going to be met.
The EU is preparing a new, fourteenth package of sanctions
The EU is preparing a new fourteenth package of sanctions that is slated for adoption in the coming months, but is unlikely to introduce any new products and will focus mostly on enforcing the existing thirteen rounds of sanctions.
Where Nato has an enhanced forward presence
On Monday, 8 April, Germany sent an advance team of 20 soldiers to Lithuania, laying the groundwork for the recently discussed establishment of a permanent brigade in the Nato country, Statista reports.
Europe exits the winter heating season with record gas stocks
The EU has exited the heating season with a record volume of gas in storage, following another mild winter and as a result of reduced industrial demand and a concerted effort by policymakers to boost stockpiles.
Grid bottlenecks on the way in Europe?
A new analysis by the energy think-tank Ember has found that several countries in Europe could soon face bottlenecks in their national transmission energy grids, as more solar and wind power will be generated than these networks have capacity for.
Summer starts as EU gas tanks start to fill again
Winter is over, as the EU gas tanks switch from withdrawals to filling mode again in preparation for next winter. Injection into the gas tanks started on April 1, a week earlier than in 2023 and started at an all-time high record level of 59.3% full.
Bulgaria’s retail sales up 0.9% m/m in February
Year on year, retail sales increased by 3.2%, after falling by 0.1% in January.
Southeast Europe urgently recruiting from developing Asia ahead of summer season
One of Europe’s poorest regions is tackling labour shortages by importing workers from as far away as Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
Where is green tech made in Europe?
Europe is home to more than 400 clean tech manufacturing plants, but the distribution is uneven and a few large countries dominate the business of making equipment needed to produce green energy sources.
Bulgaria and Romania join air and sea Schengen area
After long delays and vetoes by Schengen members, Bulgaria and Romania celebrate partial entry to Europe's border-free Schengen area.
Labour costs in Western Europe still four times higher than in Romania and Bulgaria
Bulgaria has the EU's lowest labour cost, while Romania still lags well behind Poland and Hungary.
Bulgaria’s Paynetics acquires Bulgarian-UK neobank Novus
Novus users can monitor their carbon footprint and earn cashback for sustainable purchasing choices through its app.
Bulgaria moves towards sixth snap general election since 2021
Agreement between Gerb and CC-DB for a joint government with a rotating PM has broken down.
COMMENT: Overheating in Russia and Turkey, but CEE recovering
The economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), which experienced a period of stagnation last year, are poised for a modest revival in 2024, but both the Russian and Turkish economies are already overheating.
Romania's GDP per capita surpassed Hungary's in 2023
Romania has been catching up with the EU average faster than Hungary, which fell into recession in 2023.
Bulgaria moves closer to deal on selling Russian-made reactors to Ukraine
Reactors originally intended for Belene NPP project now likely to sold to Ukraine to compensate for loss of Zaporizhzhia NPP to Russia.
Bulgaria thrown into new political crisis, snap general election likely
Hopes of progress on Schengen and Eurozone entry dashed after Gerb blows up talks with CC-DB on government rotation.
Southeast Europe’s major cities are emptying out
Eurostat data shows fall in populations of biggest urban areas in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania in last five years.