Economy of Germany

A US company is considering the option to use land near Sofia Airport to set up a aircraft parts factory there, a Bulgarian official has said.

Mercedes-Benz Türk is closely following fluctuations in the Turkish Lira, but these fluctuations have not affected the company's investment plans in the country, a senior executive said at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Mercedes-Benz Türk bus factory in the Istanbul district of Ho?dere. 

Kaufland, the biggest retail chain operating in Bulgaria, has been granted a EUR 80 M credit line by a World Bank affiliate to open 10 more branches in smaller towns.

TUI, the world?s largest leisure tourism group, is considering a spin-off of its non-core assets, which have turnover of about three billion euros ($3.33 billion), London?s The Times newspaper reported on Aug. 17.

Sixteen foreign companies and investment funds have submitted a non-binding offer for state telecommunications company Telekom Srbija, local media reported on Wednesday.

The deadline for submitting non-binding bids expired on Monday, but the government has not announced the names of the bidders.

A Germanwings plane bound for Turkey landed at Sofia Airport on Sunday after suspicions it had been struck by a "bird", the BGNES wire service reports.

A thorough inspection that followed did not establish any damage done to the engines.

The aircraft took off at 11:20, just below an hour after landing.

A corruption prosecutor on Monday brought criminal charges of active bribery against four representatives of the Greek branch of German multinational drugmaker Bayer, as well as accessory charges against a company employee and the legal representatives of two other Greek firms.

German unemployment fell in May to the lowest level in 24 years as the recovery in Europe's biggest economy continues, data showed on June 2. 

The number of people registered as unemployed in Germany fell by a seasonally-adjusted 6,000 to 2.786 million, the lowest level since December 1991, the Federal Labour Office said.    

Millions of commuters faced long delays in Germany on May 20 after train drivers walked off the job to demand higher pay and negotiating rights.

Two in three long-distance trains and hundreds of commuter services were cancelled after the small but powerful GDL union extended its open-ended strike to passenger routes. Freight trains were halted on May 19.

A 61-year-old former Siemens Hellas executive was found dead on Sunday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His body was found in the foothills beneath Mt. Hymettus, which overlooks greater Athens from the east.

A suicide note and weapon were located next to the body, with the handwriting on the note reportedly matching the victim’s. The reason cited was economic problems.