Plamen

Plamen Grozdanov from the "Made in Bulgaria Union" has predicted huge losses for many Bulgarian companies due to Russia's 1-year ban on food imports.

Bulgaria's exports to Russia last year amounted to some BGN 1B, Plamen Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, told Nova TV.

So far, the list of imported products that Moscow has banned will affect no more than 2% of Bulgarian exports - mainly of raw fruits and dairy products.

All Bulgarian Deputy Ministers from the cabinet of Plamen Oresharski were discharged as of Wednesday, August 6, authorities revealed.

Reports in various media outlets had suggested Georgi Bliznashki would not keep deputies from the former cabinet in office, unlike the previous caretaker government, formed in February 2013.

Russian company Stroytransgaz, which had been commissioned the construction of South Stream in Bulgaria, is pulling out of the gas pipeline project.

The announcement was made by the subcontractor's majority shareholder Gennady Timchenko in an interview with Russian news agency ITAR-TASS.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that 359 da of woodland were sold to South Stream Bulgaria in July.

The ministry's press office made the announcement after the investigative website Bivol.bg published a report on the deal.

A potential increase in funding for the National Health Insurance Fund, NZOK, will make no sense now, according to former deputy finance minister Lyubomir Datzov.

Bulgaria is in the middle of a systematic crisis, but the civil society against the Oresharski cabinet is a ray of light for democracy, an Austrian media outlet speculates.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski submitted a long-expected request to stand down on July 23, 2014 after weeks of uncertainty as to when he could take the step.

The resignation of PM Plamen Oresharski and his government will be voted in Parliament next Wednesday, said Speaker of Parliament Mihail Mikov, quoted by Mediapool.bg.

Mikov made the statement after opposition GERB renewed their boycott of parliament sessions due to Bulgarian Socialist Party's refusal to support the update of the state budget. 

President Rosen Plevneliev will hold consultations with the parliamentary represented political parties and the executive power on the financial situation in Bulgaria, Monday.