Send to Kindle
The European Parliament is set to hold a debate in Strasbourg next week focusing on the state of the rule of law in Bulgaria, scheduled for October 22. The discussion follows the arrest of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev and was prompted by the “Renew Europe” group.
Bulgaria is represented within this group by three MEPs: Nikola Minchev and Hristov Petrov from “We Continue the Change” and Ilhan Kuchuk from the DPS. The debate reflects ongoing concerns over governance and political influence within Bulgaria’s institutions.
Last month, Valerie Hayer, the leader of “Renew Europe” in the European Parliament, sent a formal letter to the European Commission urging the suspension of payments to Bulgaria under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. Aye cited persistent issues with the rule of law and accused the Anti-Corruption Commission of being used for political purposes.
In response, the European Commission withheld roughly 200 million euros from Bulgaria’s second tranche of funds, citing insufficient reforms in the Anti-Corruption Commission as the reason for the delay. The upcoming parliamentary debate is expected to address these broader concerns regarding Bulgaria’s adherence to rule-of-law standards.
Vladislav Panev, from the “Acceleration” Club and a former MP with the “Green Movement,” described the appointment of Rumen Spetsov as a special manager of Lukoil Bulgaria as surprising
A significant portion of Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts remains vulnerable to flooding
A customs inspector in Bulgaria has been detained following the discovery of cash totaling over 110,000 leva (around 50,000 euros) in his residence
Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov has confirmed that the United States has not imposed any additional conditions for the temporary exemption from sanctions targeting Lukoil
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) has released data on inflation and consumer prices in Bulgaria for October 2025, showing a monthly increase of 0.9%
Marilyn Manson, the provocateur and cultural icon known for constantly pushing the limits of alternative culture, will be the third headliner at HILLS OF ROCK 2026
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has described the recent explosion on a key railway route between Warsaw and Lublin as “an unprecedented act of sabotage aimed at the security of the Polish state and its citizens.”
The European Commission has temporarily halted the preliminary assessment of Bulgaria’s request for the third payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has reaffirmed that the most efficient way to fund Ukraine is by using the profits from frozen Russian assets to back a new loan
France is set to mark the 10th anniversary of the November 13, 2015 terror attacks in Paris, in which over 130 people were killed and more than 400 were injured
The European Commission is pushing for an EU-wide handling fee on small packages purchased from Chinese online platforms such as Shein, Temu, and Alibaba
The European Commission has identified Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus as countries “under migratory pressure,” opening the way for the relocation of asylum seekers to other EU member states
Bulgaria's Strategic Role in the EU's Drone Wall Defense Initiative
When Politics Means Violence
