Cause and effect in European policy and economy.

Ashton: We need to respond like Europeans!

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:03:00 UT

How far is the European Union ready to go in its foreign policy depends on its capability to overcome internal contradictions, as well as on being more united. This conclusion came up during the debates in the European parliament on the Annual assessment of EU activities ... more

Expensive healthcare - real disease

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:03:00 UT

With untypical haste and consistency the Bulgarian government realised its promise to increase the healthcare security by 2% (from 8% now, to 10%) as of April 1st. The increase will be shared 60:40 between the employer and the worker. The cabinet defended the increase, outlining the necessity to "inject ... more

No money because the Municipality does not know how to get it

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:03:00 UT

If you've managed to go to work with your car in Bulgaria on Tuesday, than you've probably succeeded to deal with the 40 cm snow and you probably had to park your car somewhere in the Blue zone (in the capital Sofia, there are areas in the city where people can park their cars after paying the Municipality ... more

Merkel: the EMF would require changes in the EU Treaty

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:03:00 UT

The German chancellor Angela Merkel announced she supported the idea for a European Monetary Fund but warned that this might mean another change in EU Treaties, the EUobserver reported. The reason behind the need of a treaty change is the EU's 'no bailout' rule, said Ms Merkel, as outlined in the Maastricht ... more

Sofia wants eurodiplomats to be selected on a geographic principle

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:03:00 UT

The Bulgarian position for the new European External Affairs Service (EEAS) states that the distribution of posts must be based on a geographic principle, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vessela Cherneva said. She explained that currently the main idea was the appointment of servants ... more

For my grandchildren

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:03:00 UT

Probably you haven't paid attention to one not very big protest of a group of mothers against the changes in the GMO legislation of Bulgaria. If you haven't, one reason could be that this protest was another one in a series of small demonstrations of small groups, interested in our daily life, not ... more

Undiplomatic about the European diplomatic service

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:03:00 UT

When she announced in the European Parliament that the creation of the new European External Affairs Service as one of her priorities, the then candidate for the first EU diplomat Catherine Ashton hardly realised what a headache this could cause her. A month later baroness Ashton was caught in the middle ... more

The European Monetary Fund: and justice for all

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:03:00 UT

Is there justice in solidarity: this, almost philosophical question, was painfully raised by the financial crisis. As the protests in Greece showed and the referendum in Iceland, two of the worst hit by the crisis states, people firmly showed they did not accept to pay private debts with public money ... more

Anniversary meeting of the Council of the European Union

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:03:00 UT

3 thousand meetings of the Council of the European Union: the anniversary meeting was of the Council of Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs. Probably you have heard many times "today there is a meetings of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, or of ECOFIN, or of ... more

Less revenues in the Treasury of Bulgaria

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:03:00 UT

The bad news for less revenues in the Treasury of Bulgaria continue to pop up. According to Industry Watch, the fiscal reserve of the country by the end of January has dropped by 300 mn levs (153 mn euro), compared to December 2009 and by 1.5 bn levs (769 mn euro), compared to January last year. Currently ... more

Protest against Bulgarian president's behaviour

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:03:00 UT

Tens of people gathered in front of the Presidency of Bulgaria in Sofia today to protest against president Gheorghi Parvanov's behaviour during a reconciliation meeting with the deputy prime minister and minister of finance Simeon Dyankov on Friday. Protesters organised spontaneously in several groups ... more

The crisis is leaving the table. Who's going to pay the bill?

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:03:00 UT

Icelanders refused to pay nearly 4 bn euro to Britain and the Netherlands in compensations for the depositors of the Icesave bank which went bankrupt. More than 90 per cent of the voters in a referendum on March 6th voted against Iceland paying the money. In 2008 London and the Hague compensated their ... more

Is 0 a revenue?

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:03:00 UT

Is it possible someone to have 0 salary and to owe social securities over it? If yes, how much? The reason for this judicial-mathematical case is Instruction No.24-00-7/25.02.2010, issued by the Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency (NRA) of Bulgaria. This Instruction interpretes changes ... more

Bulgaria should leave nuclear energy in the 20th century

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:03:00 UT

The articles of euinside about the renewed plans of Bulgarian government to build a second nuclear power station in Belene, evoked a lot of interest and comments. Here we present to you the comment of the Greenpeace expert Jan Haverkamp. We thank him for the very detailed position on the issue and encourage ... more

Grey economy is growing because of the pro-crisis measures of the government in Bulgaria

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:03:00 UT

1 bn levs (512 mn euro) less revenues in the Treasury for January, compared to 2009, the Ministry of Finance reported while spending, increased by 540 mn levs (276 mn euro), Milen Velchev from the NDSV liberal party announced. A great part of this budgetary deficit is due to delayed payments ... more

Bulgaria will build gas interconnector with Serbia

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:03:00 UT

A day after he signed an agreement for the construction of a gas interconnection with Greece, the Bulgarian energy minister Traycho Traykov signed in Brussels a "joint statement" for the preparation of a project for construction of gas interconnection between Bulgaria and Serbia. The document ... more

The Commission approved 2.3 bn euro for energy projects, 45 mn are for Bulgaria

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:03:00 UT

The European Commission approved the second installment from the 4 bn euro energy package, aimed to help financing 43 pipeline and electricity systems projects. With 2.3 bn euro 31 gas pipeline projects will be financed (1,390 mn euro) and 12 electricity projects (910 mn euro). This is the largest ... more