Vasil Shtonov

Two major enterprises announce mass dismissals in the Stara Zagora region. The director of the Regional Inspection of Labour, Lyuben Georgiev, declared the news during a press conference.

The changes in the supervisory and management boards of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), requested by the Minister of Economy Kiril Petkov, have already been entered in the Commercial Register.

Caretaker Minister of Economy Kiril Petkov removed from office members of the current Supervisory Board of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), Dimitar Simeonov and Velina Burska. The proposed replacements are Vasil Shtonov and Valentin Mihov.

South Stream Bulgaria head Dimitar Gogov has downplayed recent comments that Sofia would suffer thousands of millions of BGN in losses after the gas pipeline project was suspended last week.

Gogov told private national channel bTV projected revenues would be EUR 448 M if South Stream had not been abandoned, but added the sum was not the country's profit, but general cash flow.

Bulgaria's caretaker Energy Minister Vasil Shtonov has argued that the South Stream gas pipeline would have fetched meager profits from transit fees.

...

Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski has said that the South Stream gas pipeline should not be considered suspended until Russia comes up with an official statement on the matter.

For a second time in 6 months, banks have refused to provide a loan to Bulgaria's state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz.

In October, a public procurement for BGN 140 M was opened, which was subsequently terminated, according to the website of the Public Procurement Agency, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

Caretaker Prime Minister Georgi Bliznashki and other ministers in his cabinet are to be questioned by lawmakers for the first time since assuming office on August 6.

Bliznashki and his colleagues are to cast more light on certain issues related to the government's general policies.

The natural gas deliveries from Russia to Bulgaria have decreased, said caretaker Economy and Energy Minister Vasil Shtonov, quoted by the BNT public broadcaster.

Gazprom executives are to meet November 5 to consider the approval of certain transactions with the assets of South Stream Bulgaria, the Russian energy giant announced.