Burgas

Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) has introduced a brand new Smartron locomotive into its fleet, which began operations on November 26. The first run of this locomotive took place on November 27 at 16:30, when it was assigned to the fast train No. 3625 traveling from Sofia to Burgas.

Fourlis Group has announced the opening of three Foot Locker stores in Bulgaria, marking the brand's debut in the country. The stores will be located in Sofia, Varna, and Burgas, with the grand openings set for December 2024.

Over the next year, more than 17,000 Bulgarian companies are planning layoffs, marking a nearly 37% rise in firms forced to scale back and reduce staff. In 2023, 12,600 companies reported similar workforce reductions. This data comes from a study by the Employment Agency on labor market needs.

The owner of the Burgas-based oil refinery, Lukoil Neftohim, through its parent company Litasco, has dismissed recent claims by the Financial Times that the refinery is being sold to a Qatari-British consortium.

Russian energy giant Lukoil has announced plans to sell its largest asset in the Balkans, the refinery in Burgas, Bulgaria, to a Qatari-British consortium by the end of the year, marking a significant shift in Moscow's influence over energy supplies in Southeastern Europe, as reported by the Financial Times.

Atanas Zafirov, chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and leader of the "BSP - United Left" coalition, stated that they have successfully halted the decline of the left following the early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on October 27.

Recent inspections of nightclubs and tourist venues in Bulgaria have uncovered significant violations, including the absence of categorization, menus displaying available products, card payment terminals, and inaccurate information regarding the volumes of alcoholic beverages served.

The steady rise in housing prices in Bulgaria is no longer surprising, but what is noteworthy is a shift in the cities experiencing the fastest increases. Traditionally led by cities like Sofia, Varna, Burgas, or Plovdiv, Ruse has now unexpectedly jumped to the forefront in terms of price growth.

Dr. Polina Karastoyanova, executive director of the National Board of Tourism, emphasized the critical need for the "Black Sea" highway during an appearance on bTV's morning program. She highlighted the necessity of establishing a direct connection between Constanta and Istanbul and promoting international airlines to operate flights to Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas airports.

Following its announcement in late May regarding its interest in operating the Sofia to Burgas route with stops in Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, Pimk Rail Express is now seeking approval to extend its services to additional railway routes across Bulgaria.