Bulgaria - Central European Times

Bulgarian Prime Minister resigns amid ongoing protests and no confidence motion

1 min read Bulgaria, government, resignation, no confidence motion, Rosen Zhelyazkov, protests, Balkan, Politics

Zhelyazkov submitted his government's resignation minutes before the parliament was due to vote on a motion of no confidence against the cabinet.

Bulgaria is arming itself – at sea as well

1 min read Balkan countries, Bulgaria, Defence

Bulgaria — for the first time in more than 100 years — has launched a newly built, domestically produced warship.

Central European euro strategies: Stability versus sovereignty?

2 min read eurozone, EUR, Central and Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, public support, V4 & Romania

CEE countries differ on euro adoption, some view it as a path to convergence, while others wary of potential negative effects.

Soldiers face off across the Polish‑Belarusian frontier

Von der Leyen tours NATO frontline countries

2 min read NATO, Ursula von der Leyen, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, SAFE, Defence, Donald Tusk, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, VMZ, Nicusor Dan, Ilie Bolojan, Readiness 2030

Von der Leyen's visits to frontline NATO states aims to deliver a message of solidarity while boosting Europe’s defence capacity, promoting joint procurement and galvanising industrial support through the EU’s SAFE mechanism.

A software developer engrossed in work at a multi-monitor workstation

CEE developers offer better value than Western Europe

Research by TechBehemoths shows that strong education systems, multilingual talent pools and EU-level legal protections keep CEE competitive for global tech outsourcing and nearshoring.

The flags of Poland and the European Union waving in the wind

Poland leads EU funding recipients with EUR 123.3 bn in long‑term budget draft

The European Commission (EC) published long-term budget allocation plans on 17 July, showing Poland set to receive the highest national allocation under the 2028-34 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), totalling EUR 123.3bn.

Ministers from Southeast Europe and Ukraine on a joint photo at the Dubrovnik Forum 2025

Balkan ministers back Ukraine’s NATO bid at Dubrovnik summit

Serbia and Bulgaria did not sign the Dubrovnik declaration. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding NATO, while Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has voiced concerns about deepening military support for Ukraine.

Montage of EU stars and the text "Cohesion Policy"

CEE countries jointly oppose EU's 'flexible funding' plan

1 min read Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, EU, European Commission, Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz, European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, Just Transition Fund, ESF Plus, European Council

The signatories, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, said the policy’s “visibility and predictability” would be compromised if merged into a broader single investment fund.

CEE distillers pivot to domestic sales as exports fall, tastes shift

2 min read Alcohol, Poland, Hungary, czechia, Moldova, Euromonitor, Transnistria, Russia, Green Tree Distillery, Zubrowka, Absolwent, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, EU, SEA, Gulf

Producers in Poland, Czechia and Moldova are rebranding locally and pursuing new strategies to stay afloat after the collapse of major foreign markets, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions on premium alcohol.

Baltics surge for household consumption, Hungary slumps

3 min read AIC, Eurostat, czechia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Viktor Orban

Hungary has now fallen to the lowest position in the EU for actual individual consumption (AIC), despite its starting position ahead of several regional peers two decades ago.

Bulgarians protest as EU okays eurozone entry

2 min read European Commission, European Central Bank, European Council, eurozone, Bulgaria, Zhelyazkov, Croatia

Petar Ganev, senior research fellow at Bulgaria’s Institute for Market Economics said “When you don’t trust the institutions in the country, it is much harder to make any transition … especially when it comes to joining the euro."

CEE auto industry powers exports, stalls on e-mobility

3 min read Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, ev, auto, UN, WTO, Bevs, AFIR

While Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia continue to attract foreign capital, structural delays in electrification and infrastructure risk diminishing long-term value, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC) Trade Map.

Building of the China's General Administration of Customs

China deepens CEE links on agro, rail, as bilateral trade climbs 6.3%

3 min read China-CEEC Expo, China, CEE, CEEC, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Wine, Dairy, agriculture, grain, meat, logistics, Energy, Shen Yiqin, Belt and Road, AI, robotics, Aviation, Lithuania, czechia, Slovakia, Estonia, European Commission

China's trade with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) reached USD 142.3bn in 2024, marking a 6.3% year-on-year increase, surpassing China's overall foreign trade growth rate by 2.5 percentage points, according to China's General Administration of Customs. The total marked a 4.

CEE’s minimum wage surge spooks small business groups

2 min read Eurostat, Poland, North Macedonia, minimum wage, Romania, Bulgaria, czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, Portugal

Nominal minimum wages in Romania and Bulgaria have more than doubled in the last decade, with the sharpest growth before 2020. Czechia and Slovakia now apply EU-aligned benchmarks for annual adjustments.

Bulgaria’s euro debate intensifies as pro-EU opposition pushes January adoption date

2 min read ECB, PP, GERB, eurozone, Rumen Radev, UniCredit, European Commission, Bulgaria, Economy

Bulgaria’s pro-European opposition has tabled a declaration committing the country to join the Eurozone on 1 January 2026, challenging the government to reaffirm its commitment to its deadline, amid suggestions of a referendum on the issue. The We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) coalition, called for Parliament to restate