Member states of the United Nations

Hungary threatened on Monday to block Bulgaria's bid to join the Schengen area if fees for the transfer of Russian gas are not removed.

The Financial Times reports this, citing three sources familiar with the discussions (noting that the Hungarian authorities have not commented officially).

The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution Tuesday demanding a ceasefire in Gaza — taking the lead from the paralyzed Security Council, and piling pressure on Israel and Washington.

The United States' behind-the-scenes efforts have influenced Austria's change of heart regarding Bulgaria and Romania's Schengen entry, according to reports by the Austrian newspaper Der Standard. Recent discussions led by former US Ambassador Ronald Lauder and US Assistant Secretary of State James O'Brien in Vienna played a pivotal role in convincing Austria to lift its veto.

Recent Eurostat findings shed light on Bulgarian households' cultural spending, indicating a meager 1.5% expenditure on cultural goods and services in 2020. This figure, trailing only behind Greece's 1.3%, underscores Bulgaria's position with spending notably below the EU average of 2.6%.

BELGRADE - National Bank of Serbia (NBS) Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic announced on Monday direct payment transactions between Serbia and Montenegro had been enabled for citizens as well as businesses.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov clarified that ongoing negotiations with Austria have yet to yield a finalized agreement for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen by air. Speaking to bTV, Denkov emphasized the necessity for compliance with general European regulations, dismissing the prospect of Bulgaria adhering to specific rules exclusive to the nation.

Bulgarians are the unhappiest nation in the European Union. Austria, Poland and Romania rank in the top 3 of the happiest nations. This is shown by a new survey of the European Union, which is conducted every year by Eurostat. The rating scale goes from 0, which is absolute dissatisfaction with life in the country, to 10, which indicates that things could not be better.

United States Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis is traveling to Moldova December 5-7 and Bulgaria December 11-12, 2023 to strengthen regional energy cooperation and infrastructure connectivity along the corridor between Greece and Ukraine. These trips and a planned one to Romania in early 2024 seek to foster a more resilient, prosperous, and secure future in southeast Europe. 

The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed meeting Friday at the request of Guyana following Venezuela's weekend referendum claiming the vast oil- and mineral-rich Essequibo region that makes up a large part of its neighbor.

Let's recall that in a public address after Sunday's referendum on the annexation of the Essequibo region, Nicolas Maduro presented a map showing the territory of Guyana on the Venezuelan side.
The Essequibo region is rich in oil and has been a disputed territory since the 19th century when Guyana was a British colony.