Bulgaria Assumes Command of Black Sea Naval Mine Countermeasures Group
On January 15, a ceremony at the Naval Headquarters in Varna will mark the handover of command of the Naval Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea
Bulgaria's Prosecuting Authority has started an investigation into claims of controlled vote in the Bobov Dol coal mines days ahead of the European elections.
The move was prompted by private channel NOVA TV's report which shows the mine's chief as reminding to workers the number of the ballot which they are to cast on Sunday.
On a secretly taken footage, he also says that miners who follow the instruction will get their wages earlier.
A worker wishing to remain anonymous could be seen as admitting that the advanced payment grew to reach BGN 150 (EUR 75) this month. He also claims that at the beginning of May their chiefs promised investments into the mine and a better life for him and his colleagues, but explained the support of a certain political party is necessary to attract the money.
Those who wish to comply with their directors' will, in order to later be rewarded, enter their names in a list, the man argues.
Other people are to follow them on election day to find out if they have cast their ballot in the right way.
Workers opting not to vote (despite having included their names into the list) will be reportedly facing dismissal.
About 1 200 000 "phantom voters" can be found in Bulgarian elections lists, Mihail Konstantinov, formerly a high-profile official in charge of elections, believes.
Bulgaria's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) starts receiving documents for the registration of political parties and coalitions for the early elections on October 5.
A majority in the European Parliament has approved Jean-Claude Juncker to be President of the European Commission, reports BBC.
The European Parliament is expected to approve on Tuesday the nomination of former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.
Former Environment Minister Iskra Mihaylova has become the nomination of the European Parliament's ALDE group to chair the Regional Policy Committee.
The European Parliament has re-elected Martin Schulz for a second presidential term, with 409 votes from the 751 MEPs.