Early bird

Mark Thomas has seen many changes in Bulgaria during the last 17 years but he thinks the ‘transition’ only really began in 1997

Nu Image signs Nispel for Conan project

The new Conan project finally has a director but the stars are still unknown

UEFA Cup: Shakhtar victorious in trophy's final edition in current format

Victory for Ukrainian side 2-1 to lift Uefa Cup in Istanbul

UEFA Cup: Man City survive in Denmark, thanks to Shay Given

Dreadful Man City performance nearly costs them their season if it wasn't for the heroics of Shay Given.

English Premier League: Bulgarian playmaker still out

Portsmouth v Manchester City

Manchester City have managed only once to win in the Premier League playing away at Portsmouth and that was the 3-1 win in November 2004. Bulgarian Martin Petrov is still a long way from full fitness recovery, after sustaining a knee injury while on international duty with Bulgaria in October.

Making a difference in children's lives

You can tell that summer has ended when the more serious side of life returns to Bulgaria, and when thoughts turn not to which hotel or beach to visit, but to which orphanage or hospital has the greatest need for new beds or vitamins. In two unrelated initiatives, the Bulgarian charity foundations One Life Bulgaria, Lora Foundation and Cedar Foundation are making September

INSIGHT: Could Bulgaria host the Euro football championship?

As Bulgarian football fans watch yet another football tournament without their national team's presence, they might already be thinking ahead and wondering what can be done to ensure the team's participation in Euro 2012 and - beyond - to 2016. A simple remedy seems obvious: host the event! Austria's and Switzerland's team performances were, at best, mediocre, hence their first round exits.

Gay rights vs intolerance - The Sofia Echo reports

Plans for a gay pride march in Sofia on June 28 2008 have met a sharp backlash from political conservatives and some Bulgarian Orthodox Church leaders. In the issue of The Sofia Echo published on June 27, we outline the stances taken in the controversy.

Expatriate cricket 2008

Dates for three cricket matches, all to be played at Ihtiman, have been confirmed so far. The first, on June 22, is the Annual (British) Embassy vs The Rest game. The other two games, on July 23 and August 24, are against touring sides from the United Kingdom. Mark Thomas, one of the organisers, asked that anyone interested in playing in the June 22 game contact him at mark@jamadvice.eu or 0888 708 825 or Tim Buisseret on 0878 100 216, so that a team can be selected.

Air ticket troubles

On June 1 2008, 240 air carriers, members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), stopped issuing paper tickets in favour of electronic ticketing, most of it through internet bookings. One of the main reasons for the change was to make it more convenient for travellers. "Consumers can look forward to easier travel in an electronic world," IATA said in a statement. Electronic ticketing eliminates the risk

Nomads beat Wanderers

In a contest between two expatriate-dominated teams, Sofia Nomads beat Bansko Wanderers 5:1 on April 19 in a match played at the National Sport Academy pitch in Sofia. It was with a sense of great anticipation that the Sofia Nomads -- Bansko Wanderers friendly football return match was held. The game was played at the main NSA Pitch 1 after a last minute

George Attard-Manche event in May

The 26th annual George Attard-Manche Golf and Tennis Classic is to be held at the Porto Carras Golf and Tennis Club in Greece from May 22 to 25. Named for the UK's then-defence attache, the event is a highlight of the expatriate calendar. Organisers say that it is suitable for all the family. "Non-golfers can enjoy all the fun of this excellent resort. Hotel facilities include a fitness centre, jacuzzi, massage, sauna, solarium and

READING ROOM: A return to the Old Continent

For many Americans, living abroad can mean that traditional festivities like Thanksgiving Day happen in oft non-traditional ways. Here is how some of them celebrate.

Every year at the Turkey Bowl, the expat-Bulgarian rugby team Murphy's Misfits and an ad hoc team from the American embassy face off to see who has more stamina when it comes to chasing a ball around a muddy field in 7C weather. Thomas Sadowski spoke for the all-American side of the game. "The Turkey Bowl has been a tradition that was started before I arrived in Bulgaria by Bill Cherry, who worked for

Back on track

The travel industry is, generally, experiencing a boom, especially air travel, which continues to expand with ever-increasing numbers of passengers using increasingly different airports and utilising many different types of airlines. Differing segments of the travel market are being satisfied by ever-differing types of airlines: from niche start-up operations featuring all business class configurations plying the

TOURISM BAROMETER: Bulgaria's tourism: The more things change...

If time and a decent archive collection allowed, then one could flick through the back copies of The Sofia Echo over the past decade or so of its publication and read comments and opinions of what the future size, shape and strategy of Bulgarian tourism should be. Interestingly enough (though perhaps not "strangely enough" to those who have been here for a considerable number of years) the very same

Cricket

The annual Roger Short Memorial Trophy will be held on Sunday June 24 at the Ihtiman Air Sofia Golf Club. The match, between a British Embassy XI and An Invitation XI, starts at 12.30. Catering will be provided. There are also lots of other facilities to make for a fun family day out including horse riding, tennis, and an outdoor swimming pool. Ihtiman is about 40km from Sofia, just off the Plovdiv motorway. Signs

Business in Bulgaria misses qualified labour

The economic boom and relative prosperity that businesses in Sofia are currently experiencing and the relatively new-found prosperity in which the capital's inhabitants are in the midst does have drawbacks. As more and more international and local businesses alike discover that Sofia has many things going for it, there is an enormous squeeze on one of those attributes vital to a successful business - labour.

How will low-cost air carriers affect Bulgaria?

Aside from the "will it or will it not open" saga surrounding the building of Sofia's new (and impressive) airport terminal complex, there is probably little else that has caught the public's attention than the mere mention of the words "Bulgaria and low-cost carriers". It is assumed by many that when such creatures as low-cost carriers arrive en masse on our shores, we shall all be able to travel throughout Europe at the same

No rabbits or ferrets

A hit and a bounce and a wicket-keeper's trounce, that's what cricket is made of. Organised as a fundraiser for the charity One Life Bulgaria, the First Annual Sofia Cricket Sixes occurred on September 17 at the National Sport Academy (NSA) in Sofia. The inpiration for the event came from Giles Blanchard, Europe director of The Executive Centre. Under the ornery sky, which did and did not let fall its charms, thus

Travel company BTI re-brands

After formally joining the HRG worldwide network, top travel company Jamadvice BTI Bulgaria has re-branded as HRG Bulgaria, with effect from September 1. HRG is the UK's Hogg Robinson Group, an international corporate services company with a global network that extends to more than 90 countries. The re-branding in Bulgaria follows the decision in January this year by the founding shareholders of the

Change is in the air

Some residents of Sofia will come to recall the month of August as being a month when things generally, well - they stopped. Cars were few and far between; businesses as well as Government simply shut down for the month and the streets and shops had a noticeable absence of people. August was "the holiday month". How things change in such a short space of time: congestion is a bit thinner on the ground,

Roger Short Memorial Cricket Match

The crack of ball on willow resounded at the National Sports Academy grounds on June 18 when cricketers turned out for the annual Roger Short Match, organised by the UK embassy. Ambassador Jeremy Hill captained the embassy team against opponents led by Mark Thomas. The hot weather was no bar to the enthusiasm of the players, and the event helped to build growing interest among Bulgarians in the game.

Charity event in Kazanluk

The Cedar Foundation, a Kazanluk-based charity benefitting children, is holding a charity auction and a weekend celebration from May 26 to 28. The charity works with the Maria Louisa Orphanage in Buzovgrad for children aged up to four who have severe mental disabilities, and with the orphanage in Maglizh, which is home to 40 hearing-impaired children. Mark O'Sullivan, organiser of the charity auction and the special

READING ROOM: International Women's Day

When I left my Peace Corps host family in Kostenets to begin my new life in Bulgaria's capital of wisdom, my host Baba, Magdalena, a wonderful, strong woman, made sure I was prepared. Not only did she include chubritza (savoury herb), copper (dill), and my favourite pickled salata, but two pairs of knitted slippers and an oversized wool sweater vest for those cold zima nights. Knitting is an old tradition in Bulgaria

Advertising Bulgaria

ANNOUNCEMENT of an additional 18 million leva for advertising national tourism abroad provoked skeptical reactions among advertising agencies and foreigners working in the tourism business.

Reading Room - Everything under the sun

In our continuing series on summer breakaways in Bulgaria, VELINA NACHEVA and CLIVE LEVIEV-SAWYER take you to the north coast, to dip into the good, the bad and the ugly of what's happening at the resorts.

Jamadvice turns to online opportunities

Jamadvice, the Bulgarian partner for the Business Travel International organisation, announced the launch of its online booking system, intended to meet the challenges of the information age and realise the potential for e-business.

Of noise and tourists

The first charters with tourists are expected to arrive on April 23 and 24 but concerns over how the Bulgarian seaside is going to welcome are being raised before their arrival. Hoteliers, tour operators and foreign tour companies are anxious about several issues.

Rush for tickets

AS of the end of October, airfares are decreasing to winter tariffs, and this coincides with the re-denomination of prices on November 1 on a one-to-one swop basis from dollars to euro.

Street Talk - Responding to the SOS

IT may have been damp and miserable last Sunday in the Stara-Planina mountain town of Tryavna, but the atmosphere at the SOS Children's Village was anything but damp and miserable.