Stable Finances Pave the Way for Bulgaria’s Next Eurozone Steps
Bulgaria is expected to request extraordinary convergence reports from the European Commission and the European Central Bank for eurozone entry
Special agents of Israel's MOSSAD and the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security, DANS, are monitoring closely and providing security for synagogues and hotels with Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.
The information is reported Friday by the Bulgarian Standard daily, citing as reason the high number of Israeli citizens expected to travel abroad for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which is on September 17. This is also the official Day of Bulgaria's capital Sofia.
The Standard report comes on the heels of the July 18 terrorist attack in Bulgaria's Burgas, also known as the Burgas Bus Bombing, which killed 5 Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver at the Sarafovo Airport.
Israeli security services note that before the attack they did not have any early warnings about it and that they currently have no information on a new terror act planned in Bulgaria, but nevertheless insist to up security measures.
Bulgaria is not on the list of countries with travel advisories over Rosh Hashanah, but it is among those that have been asked by Israeli's National Security Council's Counterterrorism Bureau to increase security measures. Other such countries include Greece, Thailand, and Cyprus
The special agents are also keeping a close eye on airport traffic in the capital Sofia, and the Black Sea city of Burgas.
The concern stems not only from the Sarafovo attack, but also from the increased activity of Hezbollah and Iran.
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
By the end of April, Bulgaria is set to receive the first two of its eight F-16 fighter jets, with the first delivery scheduled for January 31 in Greenville. Acting Minister of Defense Atanas
Bulgaria is set to participate in NATO's largest exercise of 2025, "Steadfast Dart 2025" (STDT25), which will be held across Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania in the first quarter of the year
Former Bulgarian Defense Minister Prof. Todor Tagarev described the idea of NATO countries allocating 5% of GDP to defense as unrealistic, labeling it a significant financial burden
The Ministry of Defense has announced that Bulgaria's military districts are in the process of updating their reserve lists
Acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov has expressed optimism about the prospects for Bulgaria’s armed forces in 2025
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