Pro- and anti-LGBTQ "propaganda in schools" bill rocks Sofia after Radev ratifies the law
Demonstrations for and against legal amendments adopted last week by the National Assembly, which ban the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation" in state schools were held on Thursday evening in central Sofia. Opponents of the changes, including liberal activists, NGOs and politicians convened outside the presidency, while supporters of the amendments, led by Vazrazhdane politicians, gathered outside the National Assembly building.
The protests took place peacefully under heavy police presence. They occurred a few hours after President Rumen Radev declined to veto the controversial law, which effectively means it has been ratified. A few days earlier, a discussion of the newly adopted law in the Parliamentary Demographics committee was also used by anti-LGBTQ politicians and organizations to argue the case for the immediate adoption of a Foreign Agents' law to monitor pro-LGBTQ NGOs.
EU prosecutors raid Bulgartransgaz over Chiren gas storage extension
On Tuesday, prosecutors from the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) supported by police entered the offices of the state-owned gas transit firm Bulgartransgaz over a signal regarding irregularities in the implementation of a project funded by a grant from the European Commission. There have also been inspections of other companies related to the gas storage in Chiren, which means that the project in question is the extension of the facility worth 78 million euro of EU grant money, despite early rumors that the investigation might be linked to the controversial BOTAS deal of the Energy Ministry.
The expansion of the gas storage facility is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country in recent years with a total budget of 600 million levs. It is of great importance for Bulgaria and the region, as the capacity will be doubled and the facility fully modernized to provide flexible services to the market. This will also allow for greater diversification and security of supply. The project also has priority status under the Three Seas Initiative. However, there were many delays, changes, controversies and complaints in the preparation and conduct of the tender process which may have given rise to the current investigation.
Prosecution accuses Rumen Gaitansky and Stoyan Mavrodiev of embezzlement
A day after the searches in the offices and homes related to businessman Rumen Gaitansky "the Wolf" and the former CEO of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) Stoyan Mavrodiev, on Thursday the prosecutor's office officially announced that the two are accused of embezzlement over the 150 million levs loan granted five years ago by the state-owned BDB to the Wolf's Roadway Construction, which has been in default since 2022.
Prosecutors explained that so far the two have not been charged in absentia, because a procedure is underway to track them down and check whether they are in the country. On Wednesday Ivan Georgiev, Gaitansky's lawyer, who has acted as the beneficiary owner of Roadway Construction, was arrested as an accomplice to the criminal scheme, while according to the prosecution Gaitansky was the instigator, and Mavrodiev was the perpetrator. The crime carries a 10 to 20-year prison sentence and confiscation of some or all of the assets if convicted.
ACF investigation reveals a massive illegal dumping sites scheme in Sofia
An Anti-Corruption Fund (ACF) investigation published on Monday revealed the existence of an organization that has tacitly allowed the creation of 240 illegal dumpsites for construction waste across the municipality. The scheme has been going on for 15 years with the support of municipal officials working in the structure which is otherwise responsible for overseeing garbage collection, the Sofia Municipality Inspectorate.
It becomes clear that the "assistance" of the authorities has brought 40-50,0000 levs per month for a certain employee, which can be estimated as damages to the public interest, including the risk to the public health, as well as lost benefits if the money went to the city budget, the ACF claims. And most worryingly, the practice was happening with the knowledge of the municipality.
Average wage close to 2,300 levs in June
The average wage in the country continues to rise by double-digit rates and reached 2,276 levs (or 1,766 levs net) as of June. This amounts to a year-on-year growth of just over 18%, with inflation at 2.5%, according to the NSI data. In the second quarter of the year, average wages in the country grew by 17.3% year-on-year, with the rate of increase amplified compared to the first three months, when the statistics reported 16.8%.
These figures reflect to some extent the labor market situation in the country - low unemployment against a backdrop of an ever-declining working-age population. Notably, the increases are driven by the civil service and education sectors, where salaries are up by almost 30%. The average wage in the public sector outpaced that in the private sector by 68 leva and reached 2,327 levs gross in June.
Pro- and anti-LGBTQ "propaganda in schools" bill rocks Sofia after Radev ratifies the law
Demonstrations for and against legal amendments adopted last week by the National Assembly, which ban the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation" in state schools were held on Thursday evening in central Sofia. Opponents of the changes, including liberal activists, NGOs and politicians convened outside the presidency, while supporters of the amendments, led by Vazrazhdane politicians, gathered outside the National Assembly building.
