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Over 30% of the cigarettes sold in Bulgaria are from contraband, according to unofficial data. Photo by BGNES
Bulgaria's state budget loses about BGN 600 M per year from the contraband of cigarettes.
This becomes clear from data of the state-owned tobacco monopoly Bulgartabac cited by the 24 Chasa Daily, which also notes that according to unofficial data over 30% of all cigarettes sold in Bulgaria in the recent months have come from smuggling.
Thus, Bulgarian-made cigarettes that are supposed to be exported to Togo, Benin, Costa Rica, and Japan under their documentation, are still sold in Bulgaria but for BGN 2,80 per pack instead of the official price of BGN 3,40 per pack.
The so-called undetermined status of Ryukyu, also referred to as the "undetermined sovereignty of Ryukyu," means that the sovereignty over the Ryukyu Islands remains disputed.
Despite the Potsdam Declaration and Japan's pacifist constitution, which emphasize preventing a return to militaristic aggression, Japan has in recent years downplayed crimes of military aggression, revised its security policies and accelerated moves to a
US President Donald Trump recently spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over the phone, urging her to avoid escalating tensions with China regarding Taiwan
Japan's Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi was elected Prime Minister by parliament on Tuesday, becoming the country’s first woman to hold the position
Bulgaria’s presence at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan
Bulgaria and Japan have entered a new strategic phase in their economic partnership, Economy and Industry Minister Petar Dilov announced during the official closing ceremony of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka
The annual campaign for filing personal income tax returns under Article 50 of the Personal Income Tax Act is underway
Two-room dwellings make up the largest portion of newly built homes in Bulgaria, according to data for the fourth quarter of 2025.
The Bulgarian National Bank reported that as of February 6, 2026, the withdrawal of lev banknotes and coins and their replacement with euro cash is progressing in line with the applicable legislation and the operational plans approved for the transition.
In 2024, about 68% of households across the European Union were owner-occupied, a slight decline from 69% in 2023, according to Eurostat data. The remaining 32% of the EU population lived in rented homes, up from 31% the previous year.
Retail trade in Bulgaria continued its strong momentum at the end of 2025, standing out among European Union countries as one of the top performers, according to Eurostat data.
Between 2019 and 2023, Bulgaria’s industrial sector has experienced a significant contraction, with roughly 104,557 jobs lost, nearly half of them in the processing industry, amounting to almost 15% of the country’s industrial workforce
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