Bulgaria will enter Schengen in two stages - in October and January
European institutions are already preparing Bulgaria and Romania's entry admission to Schengen this year. The entry of both countries into the free travel zone at this stage can be considered certain, EURACTIV Bulgaria's sources from diplomatic circles in Brussels, the Bulgarian parliament and the government have reported.
The preliminary plan is for Schengen acceptance to take place in two stages - first for airport controls in October, and full membership with the abolition of land border controls on January 1, 2024.
According to sources in Sofia, Bulgaria has a serious chance of achieving full Schengen membership as early as this October if it exerts diplomatic pressure and shows determination to continue ongoing reforms.
Prices in Bulgaria among lowest in EU
After a year of extremely high inflation, consumer prices in Bulgaria remain some of the lowest in the European Union. In general, consumer prices in Bulgaria remain the second lowest in the EU, with only those in Romania slightly lower.
While narrowing the gap slightly, in 2022 the goods and services that households bought were around 41% cheaper than the EU average, Eurostat data on EU price levels show. They are measured by an index that shows how many units of the single currency are needed to buy the same amount of goods and services in a given country compared to the EU average.
However, certain food commodities such as fats, dairy products and eggs are among the most expensive in the Union.
Seedblink launches new platform
Romanian crowd-investment platform for private investors SeedBlink, which entered the Bulgarian market exactly one year ago, now has a new product that will facilitate capital management for start-up companies.
Nimity's service is primarily aimed at startup executives, and company shareholders, but also employees who have stock options. It is available in Bulgaria and throughout Central and Eastern Europe, but plans to expand within the entire continent.
Key features include real-time ownership structure tracking and a platform for preparing and managing capital raising rounds. An interesting addition is the option to create and manage ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) plans, which allow the acquisition of shares in the company for employees and contribute to greater retention of key personnel and their more active participation in the development of the company.
Bulgaria will enter Schengen in two stages - in October and January
European institutions are already preparing Bulgaria and Romania's entry admission to Schengen this year. The entry of both countries into the free travel zone at this stage can be considered certain, EURACTIV Bulgaria's sources from diplomatic circles in Brussels, the Bulgarian parliament and the government have reported.
