Newswire Sofia: Bulgaria and Germany are launching 1 billion pounds ($1.1 billion) in joint defense industry projects, including new plants in the Balkan state to produce artillery shells, gunpowder, NATO-standard rounds, and long-range weapons. The cooperation is led by Bulgaria’s Citizens for European Development party (GERB) and Düsseldorf-based defense contractor Rheinmetall. Discussions began in March […]

Newswire Sofia: With the investment of the German defense concern “Rheinmetall” Bulgaria becomes part of the European defense ecosystem. This was stated by President Rumen Radev at a joint briefing with the company’s CEO Armin Papperger during the opening of the new high-tech ammunition factory of the company in Unterlüs in the German province of […]

Celina Ali Islamabad: The new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Pakistan, Ms. Ina Lepel, visited the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Islamabad this week, where she met with Ambassador Atajan Movlamov. As reported on the website of the Turkmen diplomatic mission, the parties expressed their commitment to ensuring stability, strengthening peace and expanding […]

Newswire Sofia: About one-third of Bulgarian household spending is directed toward food and non-alcoholic beverages, according to the latest figures from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) for the second quarter of 2025. The data, which compares household budgets with the same period of 2024, highlights notable shifts in consumption patterns, with some products seeing increased […]

Rosalia Romaniec Berlin: If Germany’s planned National Security Council (NSR) already existed today, Chancellor Friedrich Merz would probably not be the sole target of criticism for halting German arms deliveries to Israel over the situation in Gaza. “The decision would probably have been made with better preparation and the vote would have been smoother,” Aylin […]

Newswire Sofia: In response to a request for legal assistance from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, a team of investigators from the National Investigative Service (NIS) is conducting searches and seizures in homes and offices in Sofia and the country, the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office said this week. The request is related to an investigation […]

Newswire Sofia: Over 60% of businesses in Bulgaria are open to hiring workers from non-EU countries, according to findings shared in the context of the ongoing project “Functionally Sustainable Migration and Integration in Bulgaria”. The initiative is being carried out by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) in partnership with the Center for […]

Karachi: The German Consul General in Karachi this week announced the immediate suspension of visa services for non-European Union (EU) citizens until further notice. In an official statement issued on X, the consulate confirmed that the suspension applies to all non-EU applicants, including those with already confirmed visa appointments. The consulate clarified that these appointments […]

Newswire Sofia: Regulatory adjustments aimed at easing the employment of third-country nationals in Bulgaria’s tourism industry were discussed during a meeting of the parliamentary Tourism Committee held in Sozopol. The changes, still in the draft phase, are expected to respond to ongoing concerns from employers about bureaucratic barriers, particularly during peak tourist seasons. Deputy Prime […]

Berlin: Coordinated with Qatar, the flight departed this week as Berlin toughens migration policy. Officials said all deportees had criminal records and were required by law to leave. Germany deported 81 Afghanistan nationals to their country of origin on Friday, marking the second such operation since the Taliban seized power in 2021 and the first […]

Newswire Yerevan: Armenia and Bulgaria are entering a new phase of cooperation in the field of technological innovation. A number of relevant documents were signed during the 9th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and Bulgaria, held in Sofia. According to the press service of the […]

Sou-Jie van Brunnersum Berlin: Germany has announced plans to deport Syrians with criminal records, days after Austria became the first EU country to do so in years. The move marks a shift in European deportation policies. Germany is set to begin deporting Syrians with criminal records, following a similar move by Austria. The decision, announced […]

Newswire Sofia: Ongoing rescue excavations at the ancient Roman site of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria continue to deliver extraordinary finds, with recent discoveries spanning from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Archaeologists working along the route of a future Bulgaria–Greece gas pipeline have uncovered a finely carved marble face, a terracotta […]

Berlin: German lawmakers voted this week to suspend family reunions for many migrants, part of a drive by the new conservative-led government for a tougher approach to migration. Parliament’s lower house voted 444-135 to suspend the possibility of family reunions for two years for migrants who have “subsidiary protection,” a status that falls short of […]

Newswire Sofia: The authorities this week enforced a state of emergency in the country’s north-eastern Shumen region after a video and prints were discovered last week pointing to an escaped predator. Bulgaria’s north-eastern region of Shumen has been placed on high alert as authorities search for a wild predator said to be a black panther […]

Celina Ali Islamabad: The German Embassy in Islamabad has introduced a new Consular Services Portal to simplify and accelerate the application process for all types of work visas for Pakistani citizens. The embassy announced that the online system, accessible at digital.diplo.de/visa, will increase the number of visas processed and eliminate the need for waiting lists. […]

Newswire Sofia: This week, Euro zone finance ministers officially recommended that Bulgaria join the euro area on January 1, 2026, making it the 21st member of the euro zone. This recommendation follows earlier favorable assessments of Bulgaria’s readiness by both the European Commission and the European Central Bank. The country has been preparing for this […]

Newswire Sofia: An exhibition of the work of two Turkish photographers documents a dark chapter of Bulgaria’s history – the forced assimilation and deportation of its ethnic Turkish minority. The Bulgarian Communist regime’s persecution of the country’s Turkish minority is highlighted at a photography exhibition, called “Banishment”, on view until July 20 in Sofia, part […]

Celina Ali Islamabad: Helvetas Germany, in partnership with the European Union, has officially launched the Capacity-Building for Socially Diligent Agribusinesses (CSDA) project at a high-level event in Lahore , bringing together leading representatives from government, industry, civil society, international development partners, co-implementers and affiliates. The CSDA project aims to strengthen human rights due diligence and […]

Newswire Sofia: Kazakhstan and Bulgaria intend to establish a joint Business Council, Kazinform News Agency quoted President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as saying during the extended talks with the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev. “We would like to reaffirm Kazakhstan’s commitment to the promotion of mutually beneficial partnership with Bulgaria. We view your country as a major, […]

Celina Ali Islamabad: As part of a growing commitment to cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding, Her Excellency Irena Gancheva, the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Pakistan, this week formally inaugurated an exhibition titled “The Ancient Treasures of Bulgaria” at a distinguished cultural venue in Islamabad. The exhibition, which opened to an enthusiastic audience of diplomats, historians, […]

Newswire Berlin: A Berlin court said this week that Germany must adhere to the EU’s Dublin procedure when turning back asylum-seekers at the border. The ruling challenges a new migration policy, and the government says pushbacks will continue. The Berlin Administrative Court ruled that the rejection of asylum-seekers at border controls is unlawful unless carried […]

Berin: For decades, some in Europe talked up the need for “collective European defense,” a policy to sharply reduce dependence on Washington for military protection. The debate never got far because Britain and Germany saw no reason to jeopardize transatlantic ties with a drive for security independence. When Russia launched a full-on invasion of Ukraine […]

Newswire Sofia: Life expectancy at birth of the Bulgarian population, calculated for the period 2022 – 2024, is 75.6 years, an increase of 2.1 years compared with the 2021 – 2023 period, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said on May 22. Different mortality rates among males and females, as well as among urban and rural […]

London: Britain and Germany will jointly develop a new “deep precision strike” weapon with a range exceeding 2,000km, the British government said this week, as Europe’s two largest economies step up their defence cooperation. The project builds on a commitment made in 2024 to develop new weapons, when both countries signed a bilateral defence pact […]

Newswire Sofia: Bulgaria is preparing to replace EU cohesion funds with private investments and long-term concessions for rebuilding its critical public infrastructure, PM Rosen Zhelyazkov announced this week, citing the need for financial and strategic partners in the country’s future infrastructure development. Over the past 18 years, Bulgaria has been a major beneficiary of EU […]

Newswire Berlin: Germany has asked the European Commission for an exemption from European Union borrowing limits in order to increase defence spending in the coming years, according to a letter from German Finance Minister Joerg Kukies this week. Kukies said in an interview that Germany was likely to request the exemption. The European Commission has […]

Newswire Sofia: In the global race to become the next big tech hotspot, many countries pour billions into nurturing homegrown talent, courting VCs, and crafting startup-friendly policies. While some struggle to gain momentum, others seem to leap forward—fast. So, what sets apart these rapid risers? What’s the secret to ecosystem transformation? Look no further than […]

Chris Lunday Berlin: Berlin’s incoming government, formed by Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), has released a coalition agreement outlining plans for a new voluntary military service to rebuild the overstretched and steadily shrinking ranks of Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr. The plan involves sending a mandatory questionnaire to all […]

Newswire Sofia: The Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria has selected 82 winning energy storage projects for a share of BGN 1.15 billion (€588 million/US$670 million) in financial support. The scheme will support the construction and commissioning of 82 standalone energy storage projects with a total of BGN1,149,013,428.49 spread across the projects, which will add up […]

Newswire Berlin: Germany’s next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says he will travel to Paris and Warsaw as soon as possible and coordinate closely with both capitals on confronting Donald Trump. In an interview with German tabloid Bild, Merz gave an insight into his foreign policy planning for his first days in office which is expected to […]

Newswire Sofia: According to recent data from the Trend Research Center, shared during the “Personal Finance” event by Money.bg, 38% of Bulgarians are unable to set aside any savings. Among those who do manage to save, only a small number allocate over 10% of their income, and just 1% save more than 30%. Interestingly, residents […]

Nadine Mena Michollek Berlin: More than 4,000 exhibitors are expected to showcase their innovations at what is billed as the world’s largest industrial trade fair, with visitors from approximately 150 countries expected. As in previous years, the fair is a must on the calender especially of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) from Germany and elsewhere, […]