Cause and effect in European policy and economy.

Personal healthcare payment stays 8%, public servants will pay their share

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:03:00 UT

Only 5 (five) days after the government decided to raise the obligatory personal healthcare payments from 8 to 10%, it changed its mind. The last (or not?) decision was “a result of an analysis, made by the Finance Ministry and given to the prime minister", the ministry’s press office ... more

The president of substitution

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:03:00 UT

Although he made his first visit in Brussels 3 years after Bulgaria joined the EU, the president of the country Gheorghi Parvanov decided to show himself as a patron of the discussion on EU's latest economic strategy Europe 2020. On March 12th, Parvanov called a press conference, claiming it would focus ... more

The EU is considering a new compromise - 30% emissions reduction by 2020

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:03:00 UT

The European Union is not giving up assuming a leading role in achieving a legally binding global agreement on climate change, in spite of its failure to prove as such during the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. The European Commission kept its promise and initiated its activities ... more

The EU discusses a bail-out for Greece?

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:03:00 UT

The Finance ministers of the European Union are meeting on Tuesday to asses the implementation of Greece's austerity measures and to decide whether Athens should receive a rescue package from the community. It is expected the deal to be approved by the Euro group on Monday evening. Authorities in Berlin ... more

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