Bulgaria's government

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov has told Canada's new Ambassador to Bulgaria Kevin Hamilton that Sofia needs guarantees from the Canadian government that visa liberalization will happen in 2017.

Seven Turkish nationals allegedly linked to the network of Islamic Cleric Fethullah Gülen have been detained in Bulgaria and handed over to Turkish authorities, BGNES wire service reports.

The men were found as they were hiding in a Turkish-plated TIR truck bound for Romania.

EU Commission Vice President Kristalina Georgieva has said she accepts the nomination of Bulgaria's government for UN Secretary General.

Nearly two-thirds of Bulgarians support the candidacy of UNESCO head Irina Bokova for UN Secretary General, a Gallup International Bulgaria poll shows.

Bokova is supported by 64% of respondents, compared to 23% against and 13% answering they "can't say".

Bulgaria's government has approved a decision to grant financial assistance to Macedonia to help it deal with the aftermath of floods in August.

The BGN 0.3 M worth of funding will be disbursed from the Foreign Ministry's relief budget and comes as an addition to the technical and humanitarian assistance provided so far, the cabinet has said.

Bulgaria's government is to hold a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, a day ahead of schedule, amid speculation whether it will choose to nominate EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva as its official candidate for UN chief.

The Bulgarian government will officially nominate Kristalina Georgieva for Secretary General of the UN, government sources say.

The announcement might be made as early as next week, at an extraordinary cabinet sitting on Tuesday, news website Mediapool quotes the sources as saying. 

Bulgaria's government debt totalled EUR 13.34 B in nominal terms at of end-April 2016, the Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Compared with end-March 2016, total government debt was EUR 9.5 M lower at the end of April.

Diversification of sources and routes of natural gas supply is among the top priorities of Bulgaria's government, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has said at a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias.

Bulgaria's government on Wednesday approved additional spending of BGN 20.5 M (EUR 10.5 M) to back activities for dealing with natural disasters.

The funds will go toward repayment of costs of rescue operations in emergency and crisis situations prompted by landslides and floods.