Member states of the European Union

The founding of the Romania-Ireland Business Association (RIBA) is a valuable contribution to Romania's and Ireland's economic development, in the general context of the European Union, National Bank of Romania (BNR) vice governor Bogdan Olteanu told the first conference organized by RIBA on Thursday.

The International Monetary Fund, IMF, paints a gloomy picture of the economic prospects of Balkan countries in 2014.

In its flagship half-yearly World Economic Outlook, the IMF said countries in Southeast Europe in particular are likely to experience slower growth in 2014 partly because of the severe floods that struck Serbia and Bosnia in May.

Eurostat has published statistics on the share of non-nationals of the total population of EU cities.

According to Eurostat data, the share of non-national population in Sofia stands at 1% of the total population.

By Stathis Kousounis

Tourism in Thessaloniki has made a major recovery this year, thanks to the rise in both Greek and foreign visitors.

Thessaloniki Hoteliers Association data for the year to end-August showed that the number of overnight stays in the city soared by 17.9 percent from the same period in 2013, to rise from 1,104,941 to 1,302,347.

By Dimitra Manifava

The Development Ministry is reportedly examining the shift of the sales periods from their current dates to different periods during the year to suit the needs and peculiarities of each regional market.

The volume of retail trade in Bulgaria increased in August for a fourth month running, albeit at a slower pace, Eurostat figures showed on Friday.

Center-right GERB is tipped to win Bulgaria's snap elections on Sunday but also to fall short of a majority, Euronews wrote Thursday.

In a report titled "Disillusioned Bulgaria set to vote for fifth government in two years", it says that GERB, "led by a former bodyguard", could even have to reach out to socialist opponent BSP for support in passing legislation.

Romania should invest in education, because 15 to 20 percent of its people lacks elementary education, although excellence areas exist, World Bank Country Manager for Romania Elisabetta Capannelli said on Thursday at the Aspen Institute Romania conference 'Unleashing the Potential of Eurasia. Strategic Choices on the New Silk Road' in Bucharest.

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev will take part in the 10th informal meeting of the Arraiolos Group in Braga, Portugal, on September 29-30.

The meeting will bring together the heads of state of Portugal, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Hungary, Finland, and Bulgaria, according to the press office of the Bulgarian President.

Novinite.com is interviewing ambassadors of Bulgaria's main trading partners as well as neighbouring countries. Here is the interview with Anick Van Calster, Belgium's Ambassador to Bulgaria.

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