Bulgarian police

A Romanian and a Bulgarian police officers shake hands at a check point at the Giurgiu-Ruse border point between Romania and Bulgaria on Jan. 1, 2025.

Bulgaria and Romania became full members of the Schengen zone on Wednesday, expanding the borderless area to 29 members and ending a 13-year wait for the two eastern European countries.

German federal prosecutors have brought charges against four suspected members of Hamas, accusing them of involvement in establishing and managing weapons depots across Europe.

Bulgarian police detained a group of illegal migrants following a high-speed chase on Sofia's ring road. The incident occurred just before noon, near the village of Lozen. The chase began when a car with foreign plates failed to stop despite multiple police signals.

7 railway tracks were reported stolen between the Sliven and Gurkovo stations, according to Bulgarian police. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the theft.

Bulgarian police, prosecutors, and Anti-Corruption Commission officials have entered properties linked to businessman Rumen Gaitanski, also known as "The Wolf" (Valka), as reported by BNT. The investigation centers around a loan provided by the state-owned Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) to a company associated with Gaitanski.

A 37-year-old man fatally assaulted his friend in the Silistra region, as reported by the Bulgarian police. The incident took place on Sunday in the village of Zafirovo.

Turkish borders crossing into Europe have witnessed tightened controls on vehicles entering and exiting, causing long lines and wait times, ahead of Bulgaria and Romania's partial inclusion into the Schengen zone from March 31.

Near the Trajan's Gate tunnels on the Trakia highway, Bulgarian police officers intercepted a pickup truck suspected of transporting illegal migrants. Around 3:00 p.m., authorities discovered six migrants from Syria concealed within the vehicle.

Gabriela Bankova, a transgender woman who initiated a hunger strike on November 13 to challenge the court's denial of her gender change request, was apprehended by Bulgarian police due to the absence of valid identification papers.

A year and a half after taking office, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made his first bilateral visit to Austria.