Heavy rain and floods hit parts of northern Greece again

Deluge from heavy rains continues to terrorise parts of northern Greece, causing destruction and death for the second tome in a fortnight.

Southwest Bulgaria hit by flooding and heavy rain

Regions in southwestern Bulgaria are reeling from sustained torrential rains that have causes extensive flooding in villages in the Municipality of Kyustendil and Petrich on the border with Greece

Roads in Bulgaria become dangerous as weather worsens

Snow has obstructed roads nationwide, but are the authorities in Sofia ready to deal with it? Sofia mayor says yes, while companies entrusted with the operation claim otherwise.

Housing prices in Bulgaria fell 28 per cent year-on-year – official

Average market prices of housing in Bulgaria dropped five per cent in July-September, measured quarter-on-quarter, the National Statistical Institute said on October 23 2009.

The bitter end of the sugar factory

A 111-year-old monument of culture in Sofia faces destruction, caught between business interests and bureaucracy

Bulgaria’s new building permits go up as areas shrink

The number of new permits rose by 24.6 per cent to 1832 from January to March 2009 but plunged by 61.4 per cent against a year ago.

Groundbreaking at Kyustendil

Cedar Foundation pioneers new homes in push towards "de-institutionalisation"

Bulgarian town mayor's tough line on Roma crime

Kyustendil mayor Petar Paunov takes a hard-line stance against the local Roma community

Fake and dangerous Victory Light cigarettes on the Bulgarian market

The discrepancies are in the packaging, ingredients and the lack of an excise stamp, and strange scent. The fakes cause increased irritation, have low-quality tobacco and very high levels of nicotine.

South African embassy reaches out to needy children on Mandela Day

On the eve of July 18 – birthday of Nelson Mandela and the centre of a Nelson Mandela Day Campaign encouraging community outreach, South African ambassador in Sofia Sheila Camerer visited a children’s home in Kyustendil.

Almost 40 per cent of property offers in Bulgaria updated every two weeks

Average selling prices in Sofia have tumbled by 22.19 per cent year-on-year from January to June, 21.9 per cent in the coastal city of Varna, 19 per cent in Bourgas, also at the Black Sea, and 18.7 per cent in the second largest city of Plovdiv.

Vote-buying and other alleged irregularities on election-day - report

Election day 2009 saw countless reports of irregularities with most major parties accusing each other of vote-buying and other attempts to manipulate the election outcome.

Ceku back in Kosovo

Former Kosovo prime minister Agim Ceku, released by Bulgaria after his arrest on an Interpol warrant for war crimes, returned to Kosovo on June 30 2009.

Bulgarian court releases Ceku from custody

Decision by the Kyustendil court is subject to appeal in Sofia. Earlier, Belgrade had summoned Bulgarian ambassador and invokes 1960 extradition agreement, while Serbian media report that the US, UK and France are pressing Bulgaria to release Agim Ceku.

Bulgaria arrests former Kosovo prime minister Ceku on Interpol warrant

Held on a warrant issued at the request of Belgrade for a war crimes conviction handed down by a Serbian court, Ceku has insisted such arrests – this is his fourth – are invalid.

Defendants should be barred from standing for Parliament, opposition party demands

After the example of the "Galevi brothers" who were set free on bail to stand for Parliament, the Order, Lawfulness, Justice party is seeking a change in the law

Galevi brothers set free to stand for Parliament

After six months under arrest, the two controversial businessmen were freed to campaign.

From indictment to candidate for Parliament in one day

On the same day when the prosecution submitted the indictment against Plamen Galev, the regional election committee in Kyustendil announced it had accepted his registration for national elections.

European Parliament elections: Bracing for impact

Results of the European Parliament elections released on June 7 2009 will have serious implications for political futures around the EU.

Sharp reduction in construction of real estate

A total of 3897 new flats in 547 new buildings were developed in Q1 of 2009, mostly in the seaside cities of Varna and Bourgas, followed by Plovdiv and Sofia.

Police detain 10 suspected drug traffickers

Police operation in Sofia and Kyustendil detains 10 people suspected of drug distribution. Large quantities of drugs and counterfeit money have reportedly being seized by the police.

Paramedic units will be deployed in danger zones

Ambulances will be positioned at danger points throughout the country during the summer in a bid to expedite medical assistance

Seven bank robbers caught, including policemen

Among the detainees are a 30-year-old criminal branch inspector from the Sofia police department, and a 36-year-old former employee of the legislative administration.

Economic crisis knocks down housing prices throughout Bulgaria

Residential prices will slip to their lowest in the third quarter of up to 30 per cent on an annual basis, analysts say.

4792 construction projects finished in Bulgaria in 2008

A total of 4792 projects have been certified as safe by authorities, amongst them hospitals, power plants, road reconstruction and rehabilitation projects and railway stations.

Road section reconstruction financed by EU funds begins today

The 4.27 million leva reconstructions aim to reduce traffic accidents and improve access to Pernik's distant boroughs

Road conditions in Bulgaria difficult after overnight snowfall

The calendar marks the spring equinox, but most of Bulgaria finds itself under snow. In Sofia, snow has mostly melted away quickly, but in parts of southern Bulgaria the situation is much worse.

190 building permits granted in January and February alone

A hospital, office blocks, infrastructure projects and small production plants are among the buildings sanctioned.

Chief of Kyustendil police fired on suspicion of mafia ties

Interior Minister Mihail Mikov has dismissed Chavdar Karadjov from his appointment as chief of Kyustendil police office, without stating possible motives, Dnevnik daily said quoting announcement of the Interior Ministry on January 8 2009. According to unofficial information, however, Karadjov allegedly had ties with the two notorious businessmen from Doupnitsa, Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev, a.k.a. "Galevi brothers."

Snow patrol

Authorities put more effort into handling the first heavy snowfalls this year, yet road accidents and airport mismanagement happened as usual

As if to demonstrate administrative impotence to react to emergency situations, at the beginning of every year Mother Nature just throws the sky's doors open and there we have it: clean, beautiful, perfectly shaped snowflakes, peacefully falling on half-completed Bulgarian highways, patched secondary roads, long-forgotten third class strips, city streets, pavements...or just getting caught on the tongue of a happy youngster, sliding on a snow-covered park mound.