Bulgaria
The use of the ruble in EU trade settlements reaches a record $15.2bn in March
The use of the ruble in settlements for goods and services exported by Russia to European partners was up 58.5% in March 2024 to record levels, according to data from the Central Bank of Russia.
BOFIT: The bilateral relations between China and the European Union are important but challenging
In early May, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Europe for the first time since 2019. The destinations of the visit were France, Hungary and Serbia. China sought to improve its relationship with Europe, but relations remain tense.
Global warming acceleration at its peak but the La Nina effect this year will reduce temperatures less than expected
Global temperature is now near its peak due to El Niño aerosol decrease. How far will it fall in the coming La Niña? Less than expected.
EBRD2024: EBRD expects Emerging Europe growth boost in 2024, but slightly lowers forecast
Development bank makes downward revision in latest forecasts after worse than expected Q1 figures for Central Europe.
Far right activists attack Ukrainians visiting Bulgaria to buy Russian-made nuclear reactors
Ukraine wants to buy equipment Bulgaria bought from Russia for the scrapped Belene nuclear power plant project to replace occupied power infrastructure.
Trees are “coughing not breathing” due to climate crisis stress, study finds
"We found that trees in warmer, drier climates are essentially coughing instead of breathing," a study by Penn State found.
April 2024 sets global moisture record
April 2024 set a global moisture record for the planet, reports climatologist Ben Noll
Think-tank warns UN vote on Srebrenica genocide could trigger Republika Srpska’s secession from Bosnia
Hudson Institute says move towards secession could in turn spark broader ethnic conflicts in Balkans.
20 years after accession 'big bang' wiiw economists say CEE needs a new model to catch up with the West
Eastern EU members are growing much faster than the eurozone, but must focus more on innovation for a full catchup.
COMMENT: Testing the limits – the politics of EU membership in CEE 20 years after accession
Apathy and lack of trust in national institutions, combined with ‘convergence fatigue’, have created favourable conditions for populist forces that have degraded the quality of institutions in many of the CEE states that joined the EU in 2004.
Fitch believes Bulgaria unlikely to enter eurozone in January 2025
Return to political instability has put Sofia’s eurozone entry target date at risk.
Bulgaria to lose €665mn under recovery plan after delaying liberalisation of power market
Experts suggest the country could lose all of the remaining €4.4bn allocated under the recovery plan over delayed or failed reforms.
Bankers reassessing accelerating climate crisis in anticipation of trillions of dollars of annual damage
As the climate crisis accelerates, banks are facing increasing financial risks and have begun to try to assess their exposure to the trillions of dollars of damage extreme weather will do every year.
CEE recovering but no full rebound in sight, says wiiw
Germany’s slow recovery is dampening growth prospects for Central and Southeast European economies.
AI and cybersecurity to drive CEE tech sector
PwC and CEE Digital Coalition believe the Central and Eastern Europe region has the potential to create the EU’s Silicon Valley.
COMMENT: The Three Seas Initiative's digital imperative
While digital infrastructure in the region is growing, support infrastructure designed to handle the growth in demand is what requires investment.
IEA: Methane emissions at an all-time high need to be reduced by 75% by 2030 at a cost of $170bn
Methane emissions are 80 times more damaging than carbon dioxide. Rather than falling, they are currently at an all-time high and rising. The IEA says they need to fall by 75% by 2030 if the Paris Accord targets are going to be met.
The EU is preparing a new, fourteenth package of sanctions
The EU is preparing a new fourteenth package of sanctions that is slated for adoption in the coming months, but is unlikely to introduce any new products and will focus mostly on enforcing the existing thirteen rounds of sanctions.
Where Nato has an enhanced forward presence
On Monday, 8 April, Germany sent an advance team of 20 soldiers to Lithuania, laying the groundwork for the recently discussed establishment of a permanent brigade in the Nato country, Statista reports.
Europe exits the winter heating season with record gas stocks
The EU has exited the heating season with a record volume of gas in storage, following another mild winter and as a result of reduced industrial demand and a concerted effort by policymakers to boost stockpiles.