The day in 3 news: Pensions rise postponed until Christmas, Google Pay available in Bulgaria, Hemus highway’s construction illegal

Parts of Hemus Highway are being constructed illegally

The day in 3 news: Pensions rise postponed until Christmas, Google Pay available in Bulgaria, Hemus highway’s construction illegal

Parts of Hemus Highway are being constructed illegally

© Nadezhda Chipeva


On 9 September the Constitutional Court asked the Presidency and the Ministry of Justice if caretaker Economy Minister Kiril Petkov had presented documents demonstrating he had revoked his Canadian citizenship at the time of his appointment. This likely means that the Court will approach the issue of Mr Petkov's double citizenship, which contravenes the Bulgarian Constitution, in a serious fashion. It was brought to the attention of the Court by 55 GERB MPs two weeks ago.

Eventually, MPs postpone pension increase till Christmas, approve bonuses until then

In a final Parliamentary vote on Thursday, the National Assembly decided that the mulled 12.5 percent increase of all old age pensions proposed by Finance Minister Assen Vassilev will be postponed until 25 December. Until then, however, pensioners will receive a 60-euro monthly bonus to their pensions. Additionally, MPs approved an increase to maternity leave payments for children between the age of 1 and 2 from 190 to 325 euro.

Google Pay now available to all Bulgarian users

The application for contactless payments via smartphones with Android operating system is now available for free download by Bulgarian users. Until now, it was only available through banking intermediaries in the country, but now everyone can download it from Google Play. This is a serious step towards a simpler, more secure and convenient way to make payments in stores, while protecting one's transaction information through multiple levels of security, the company said. Apple's Apple Pay service has been available in the country for iPhones for over a year now.

Hemus highway has been constructed illegally, state construction watchdog says

The section of the highway between the intersection towards Pleven and Lovech up to Veliko Tarnovo has been constructed without completed expropriation procedures, approved investment projects and approved construction permits. These are the main conclusions of the State Construction Control Commission (DNSK) report published on Thursday as per the demand of the Regional and Economic Ministries. These are compulsory procedures that have been purposefully ignored by the previous cabinet, caretaker Economy Minister Kiril Petkov told reporters.

On 9 September the Constitutional Court asked the Presidency and the Ministry of Justice if caretaker Economy Minister Kiril Petkov had presented documents demonstrating he had revoked his Canadian citizenship at the time of his appointment. This likely means that the Court will approach the issue of Mr Petkov's double citizenship, which contravenes the Bulgarian Constitution, in a serious fashion. It was brought to the attention of the Court by 55 GERB MPs two weeks ago.

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