Internal Turmoil in MRF and BSP
Ahead of the 27 October elections, the political season starts with crises in two of Bulgaria's largest political parties. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) are both torn apart from within, with the continuing major rift between MRF's co-chairman Delyan Peevski and the informal leader of the movement Ahmed Dogan, on the one hand, and ex-leader Kornelia Ninova being kicked out of BSP yesterday, on the other.
On Sunday BSP's National Council expelled the former leader of the party and her close allies Georgi Svilenski, Ivan Chenchev, and Krum Donchev. The decision was supported by 105 votes in favor, 16 against, and 4 abstentions. The situation became even more volatile when her supporters gathered outside the party headquarters, leading to a confrontation with the police guarding the entrance.
Today, both wings of the MRF attempted to secure the rights to the MRF name for the elections, a crucial issue as using a different name could confuse voters in October. The party currently has two co-chairs, Dzhevdet Chakarov and Delian Peevski, who represent the two warring factions. It is yet to be determined who will keep the official name.
229 MWh solar park worth estimated BGN 250 million to launch near Silistra
Construction of the St. George solar park near Silistra will begin as early as next week. The project's investor, Rezolv Energy, a subsidiary of the UK-based multibillion-dollar fund Actis, which has significant investments in energy infrastructure worldwide, announced the selection of three contractors for the construction of the 229-megawatt photovoltaic park. The chosen contractors are China's CMC Europe and Bulgaria's Solarpro and Green Solar Energy.
The value of the contract, which covers engineering, procurement, and construction, is undisclosed. However, based on the parameters of the facility, which will be located on the site of the former airport in the Danube city, the investment is expected to cost around BGN 250 million. Once operational, the park will increase Bulgaria's solar capacity by approximately 7%.
Corn harvest to hit decade low
Bulgaria is set to produce its smallest corn harvest in over a decade due to severe drought affecting the region, according to a late August report by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS USDA). FAS expects local corn production to drop to 2.2 million tons, down from 2.45 million in the 2023-2024 season. The area planted with corn is estimated at 484,000 hectares in 2024-2025, a 9% decrease from the previous year.
2024-2025 will be the third consecutive year with significantly below-average corn yields, which could have long-term effects on future planting intentions, the agency noted in its analysis of the regional situation. The FAS report highlights that the grim outlook for the 2024-2025 harvest has effectively halted exports, with corn exports by early August totalling around 693,000 tons, primarily to non-EU countries, compared to 950,000 tons at the same time last year.
Internal Turmoil in MRF and BSP
Ahead of the 27 October elections, the political season starts with crises in two of Bulgaria's largest political parties. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) are both torn apart from within, with the continuing major rift between MRF's co-chairman Delyan Peevski and the informal leader of the movement Ahmed Dogan, on the one hand, and ex-leader Kornelia Ninova being kicked out of BSP yesterday, on the other.
