Tue, Feb 07 2012
Real estate in Bulgaria's larger cities was increasingly popular among UK buyers, Paul Collins, an expert with the BuyAssociation web site, said on October 5, as quoted in an interview for investor.bg.
While until recently, Brits were prone to buying property at Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts, now they were more and more turning their attention to residential and vacation property, offered at the winter ski resorts and the big cities, Collins said.
The real estate market for mountain resorts had better sustained development potential, he said.
Holiday homes' supply in the ski resorts increased by more than 50 per cent in the first half of 2007, according to Colliers International's latest holiday homes report. Some 10 000 new housing units were offered on the market during the same period. The total supply of vacation property in the mountain resorts was more than 28 000 units, Colliers says.
According to the report, Bansko was the resort with the most significant growth, as it accounted for 78 per cent of all newly supplied apartments and houses. The rest of the offered newly constructed vacation housing was divided mainly between the other two large ski resorts - Borovets and Pamporovo.
Despite certain signs of over-construction in Bansko and other resorts, the real estate in the mountains was a preferred option for individual investors. Owning property there looked an easier way of making money through buy-to-let, Collins said.
Some passengers entitled to rerouting, the Hungarian airline says, announcing a shutdown after 66 years of operations.
As debate in Bulgaria heats up on the issue of shale gas exploration, a view against fracking from an environmental campaigner.
As debate in Bulgaria heats up on the issue of shale gas exploration, a view in favour of fracking from a geologist.
Bulgarian Cabinet's shale gas ban cuts off all oil and gas exploration drilling.
Proposed merger would create Bulgaria's third largest lender by merging EFG Eurobank subsidiary Postbank with Alpha Bank's branch in Sofia.

Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.

Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.

Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.

Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.