Bulgaria

In the midst of Bulgaria's ongoing political crisis, Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) have reiterated their commitment to guiding the country toward a secure and prosperous future.

The 44th General Assembly of the Union of Road Transport Associations in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Region (BSEC-URTA) and various major international transport events are currently underway in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from September 2 to 6. The Chamber of Motor Carriers in Bulgaria is participating in this forum, which focuses on transportation policies and international cooperation.

Despite Bulgaria's strong position in cereal production within the European Union, recent Eurostat data reveals significant declines in almost all economic indicators for Bulgarian agriculture compared to the EU average.

According to data from the National Statistical Institute, food represents the largest share of expenses for Bulgarian tourists, both domestically and internationally. For trips within Bulgaria, more than 40% of the travel budget is allocated to food, while this figure is 34.3% for travel abroad.

Dr. Polina Karastoyanova, executive director of the National Board of Tourism, emphasized the critical need for the "Black Sea" highway during an appearance on bTV's morning program. She highlighted the necessity of establishing a direct connection between Constanta and Istanbul and promoting international airlines to operate flights to Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas airports.

The "Yes, Bulgaria" party has suggested a shift away from its current coalition with "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) after their proposal for preliminary elections was rejected. The proposal aimed to organize preliminary elections to determine the candidate lists for the upcoming parliamentary vote, but it was not accepted by the coalition partners.

The Bulgarian government has approved a budget of over 100 million leva for the October 27, 2024, parliamentary elections.

At the end of October, Bulgarian voters will head to the polls once again, this time to elect Members of Parliament for the 51st National Assembly. This marks the seventh consecutive parliamentary election, with six being early elections.

The Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies estimates that between 300,000 and 340,000 Bulgarians will travel both domestically and internationally during the upcoming two long weekends in September. Greece remains the top choice for travelers, with bus trips priced between 330 and 790 leva already sold out, and air packages ranging from 800 to 1,250 leva for stays of 4 to 6 nights.

In July, the number of Bulgarians traveling abroad for vacation or excursions rose by just over 11% compared to the same month last year, according to the National Statistical Institute. During this period, the largest portion of Bulgarian trips abroad was for leisure and excursions, making up 47.4% of the total, followed by trips for other purposes at 37.0%, and business trips at 15.6%.