INFLATION UP AGAIN
Year-on-year inflation in Bulgaria rose to a new 10-year high of 14.6 per cent in April 2008, according to preliminary data released by the National Statistical Institute on May 13. April inflation was 0.9 per cent, edging higher from 0.8 per cent a month earlier. Food prices remained the main driver of inflation, rising by 1.3 per cent for the month. Services prices went up by 0.2 per cent and non-food goods were 0.8 per cent higher.

PULL OUT
Three Portuguese companies that own 51 per cent in the consortium awarded the Trakiya Highway concession are set to pull out of the contract by mid-May, Kapital weekly reported on May 10. The companies had to secure funding to complete the highway by May 14. The Regional Development Ministry estimated the cost of the completion at 590 million euro. The Portuguese firms failed to provide the sum and are to make an official announcement to that end.

SPRING FAIR
The International Spring Fair in Bulgaria’s second-largest city of Plovdiv welcomed 650 Bulgarian companies, 12 per cent more than last year, and 320 firms from abroad. The exhibition for the first time featured firms from Ukraine, Singapore, Norway and San Marino.