Bulgaria's Hotel Sector Faces Workforce Shortages and High Taxes Ahead of 2025 Season
Veselin Danev, chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel Association, highlighted a major issue in Bulgaria’s tourism sector: a significant decline in the workforce
The life of the 52-year-old Bulgarian man, who set himself ablaze in downtown Sofia in mid-March, is out of danger, according to medics from the emergency Pirogov hospital.
52-year-old blacksmith Dimitar Dimitrov set himself of fire in front of the Presidential building in Sofia. Security guards extinguished the flames and he was taken to hospital with 25% burns.
The doctors have performed Tuesday surgery on Dimitrov's deepest burns. He is now able to feed himself and move on his own.
Six people set themselves on fire in Bulgaria in the course of one month and four of them passed away.
Todor Yovchev, 41, died on March 22, after setting himself on fire in northeastern Bulgaria, and telling doctors he was unemployed and poured gasoline on himself because of despair.
53-year-old Ventsislav Vasilev, who set himself on fire in Radnevo on February 26, having explained he has long lived in great poverty, passed away on March 10.
On March 3, Plamen Goranov, 36, died in Varna, after having set himself on fire on February 20, as an extreme act of political protest. Goranov, who protested against the corrupt authorities in the Black Sea city, became a symbol of the nationwide rallies, with media describing him as "the Bulgarian Jan Palach."
On February 19, 26-year-old Traian Marechkov set himself on fire and died soon after in Veliko Tarnovo, having explained he is too despaired to live on.
On March 18, a miner from the western town of Bobovdol also set himself on fire.
Simeon Simeonov, 59, poured gasoline on his body before the very eyes of his son. Before the desperate act he had called his wife telling her he felt useless for not being able to help his family. Simeon is in Sofia's emergency "Pirogov" hospital with 30% burns on his body. He is in critical condition and his live is in danger.
Also in mid-March, police in the second largest city of Plovdiv found the charred body of a woman in a local park. The main lead is that she was killed first and then set on fire, but suicide has not been ruled out.
In addition to self-immolation, a suicide wave seems to have invaded Bulgaria with daily reports about people hanging themselves, jumping for bridges and high-story buildings, and throwing themselves under trains, among others.
The incidents followed weeks of massive protests against poverty and corruption in the Balkan country.
On March 12, President Rosen Plevneliev installed a caretaker Cabinet after last month's resignation of the center-right GERB government that was triggered by the massive protests.
The Sofia Metro has a new executive director following a decision by the company’s Board of Directors
Saturday: The day will start with mostly sunny conditions, but thunderstorms are expected by the afternoon
Thousands of Vivacom customers across Bulgaria were left without service following a network outage that disrupted both calls and mobile internet access
Prof. Todor Kantardzhiev, former director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, has warned that ticks, which can sense human breathing from up to 20 meters away
Starting from May 1, the obstetrics and gynecology department at the "Rahila Angelova" Multi-Profile Hospital in Pernik will be shut down due to a significant shortage of medical staff
A series of minor earthquakes were recorded in the Nessebar area, with the strongest tremor measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale
Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update
Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase